It’s not exactly “drive-thru” marijuana. But pretty darn close.
In our last post, we talked about how people are stockpiling marijuana to get through this time of isolation. Which makes perfect sense.
Now, in an attempt to further limit exposure to COVID-19, Michigan is temporarily allowing curbside cannabis pickup at approved marijuana stores and dispensaries across the state.
These are strange times, indeed.
Curbside Cannabis Pickup Will Make a Difference
Anything that’ll make navigating this situation easier is something we fully support.
Folks still need (or simply want) their marijuana. Dispensaries and retailers want to be able to provide it for them. And they certainly don’t want to shutter.
In these times of social distancing, everyone wants to feel safe and avoid the further spread of this virus. Yet, they want continued access to their medicine.
Or at least the very thing that keeps them from getting too anxious about all of this isolation.
As such, cannabis business owners asked for the ability to make curbside sales outside their businesses to limit personal contact between employees and customers/patients in stores.
And so they have received…
How Curbside Pickup Works
It’s simple. And there are a couple of options.
For instance, say you needed to acquire medical marijuana from the Greenhouse in Walled Lake.
You can complete an online order including payment for their product on their website. Or if you’re not internet savvy or simply aren’t comfortable going that route, you can place your order from your car in the parking lot of the Greenhouse.
In either situation, there will be some interaction. But it will be minimal.
An employee from whatever cannabis business you choose is permitted to complete the sales transaction by interacting with you in the parking lot, recording necessary information into the statewide monitoring system, and then handing off the product to you.
Okay. That may have sounded a little shifty and suspect. But the whole “deal” is totally legit. At least for the time being…
Marijuana Regulatory Agency Lifting Other Requirements
The MRA issued a statement this week encouraging medical marijuana patients and recreational marijuana customers to place delivery orders whenever possible.
Given that there are about 15 recreational marijuana retailers and 66 medical marijuana dispensaries in the state approved for home delivery, this sounds like a good option.
And it just got even better.
In the past, anyone placing a marijuana order had to have an ID with the same address as the delivery location. The MRA is temporarily lifting that requirement.
They are also fully committed to expediting the approval of delivery procedures within 24-48 hours. This will help licensed facilities to swiftly implement home delivery.
Take Advantage of Curbside Cannabis Pickup
It’s important to remember that while serious, this COVID-19 situation is temporary.
So too are the permissions put in place by the MRA. So take advantage of curbside cannabis pickup now while you can.
And if you’re a cannabis business owner, don’t let your marketing efforts fall by the wayside during this crisis. Contact us to find out how to stay afloat during this tough time.