Michigan Licenses First Cannabis Delivery Services

Cannabis regulators in Michigan have licensed the state’s first cannabis delivery services in Detroit and Portage, according to an MLive report. The two Detroit licenses were issued to Utopia Gardens and BotaniQ, while Lake Effect received the Portage license; however, the services can only bring products to patients in municipalities where cannabis sales are outlawed.

Jevin Weyenberg, general manager of Lake Effect in Portage, called the new rules “life-saving for some people.”

“We know a lot of the patients we’re going to be delivering to – a lot of them are in wheelchairs. Convenient access to medicine – you can never put a price on that.” – Weyenberg to MLive

The Marijuana Regulatory Agency delivery rules require dispensaries to hire their own drivers, document delivered inventory, and track the delivery route with GPS, the report says. Delivery businesses can only deliver 2.5 ounces – the maximum daily limit – during home deliveries. Weyenberg said the company is taking security steps beyond what the agency requires including equipping cameras on delivery vehicles and drivers.

Utopia Gardens owner Stuart Carter said patients will be able to place orders online or by calling the shop, noting that their drivers will not accept cash but can accept debit cards. Carter said they are already doing two to three delivery runs per day.

Since voters approved legalization in 2016, the state’s industry has undergone many changes, including the closure of dozens of dispensaries over licensing issues and the elimination of the all-volunteer Marijuana Licensing Board. The approval for delivery services came last November as part of a larger overhaul of the medical cannabis rules and regulations.