Will Washington Legalize Cannabis Delivery This Week? In taking a look at our community of cannabis consumers, we are as diverse as they come. Our demographic spans broadly across all different profiles and measures, which is why the upcoming legislation regarding legalizing delivery services for cannabis products is so important. Our state government is responsible for creating a cannabis program that benefits everyone, but it’s still a work in progress - Legalizing delivery services could be their next win.
The Politics of Cannabis Delivery Services
In 2012, Washington approved the legal sale of adult-use cannabis, but the initiative didn’t allow for delivery services. Nevertheless, countless illegal operations popped up on sites like Yelp And Weedmaps. In May of 2016, several offenders were arrested and charged in Seattle while the city made clear that it was not their intent
"..to bust people for smoking pot, but to send a message to the owners, operators, and suppliers of the delivery services that delivery will not be tolerated as the city tries to foster the legal pot shop market."
Who Would Cannabis Delivery Benefit?
Again, this goes back to supporting our broad demographic of cannabis consumers. There are some that are too old, sick, or weak to venture out to their local cannabis dispensary so a delivery option would be extremely beneficial. On the other hand, Pete Holmes, City Attorney, added that
"we know that people do drink and drive and smoke and drive and anything we can do to encourage them not to do that is harm reduction."
It’s in our best interest to address the needs of the community and mitigate any dangerous situations.
Defining the Legal Framework for Cannabis Delivery
Holmes is confident that the upcoming legislation will be received well as it is a statewide initiative instead of last years’ proposed HB 2368 bill, which only focused on the local Seattle counties. That and this year’s bill has bipartisan appeal and is looking to enforce regulations that will protect drivers from robbery attempts and has positioned legal delivery as a public safety measure, while also benefiting cannabis tourism. It’s the next logical step for Washington, but will our state officials agree? Time will tell - The bill should be presented anytime now.
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