Dispensary Drive-thrus Could Be Coming To California

California marijuana customers whitethorn soon beryllium capable to rotation up to dispensary drive-thru windows to buy cannabis products aft nan California Assembly passed a bill allowing nan income method.

The legislation, AB 2697, passed Monday successful a 55-9 ballot and now moves to nan authorities Senate. If signed into law, nan measurement would let licensed cannabis retailers and storefront microbusinesses to waste marijuana products “to a customer successful a centrifugal conveyance successful a drive-through located connected nan premises.”

Introduced by Assemblymember Gail Pellerin, nan connection would still require businesses to unafraid support from section governments earlier offering drive-thru service. The authorities antecedently precocious done nan Assembly Appropriations Committee and nan Business and Professions Committee earlier reaching nan Assembly floor.

Pellerin said Monday that nan measurement “will grow entree to ineligible cannabis products while strengthening nan ineligible market’s expertise to compete pinch nan illicit market.” Supporters person besides said nan action could thief aesculapian marijuana patients and others pinch mobility challenges who whitethorn person trouble getting retired of their vehicles.

“California cannabis retailers deficiency a communal and accessible transaction way for consumers afforded truthful galore different retailers successful California, including accelerated food, pharmacies, banks and moreover liquor stores,” Pellerin antecedently said, according to Marijuana Moment.

“While location transportation is legal, location are work area restrictions,” Pellerin added. “Allowing cannabis retailers to adhd nan consumer-friendly action of a secured drive-through, if approved by nan section jurisdiction, will heighten nan user experience, summation information astatine cannabis retailers, and thief grow California’s ineligible cannabis marketplace.”

The California Narcotic Officers’ Association opposes nan bill, informing that dispensary drive-thrus could summation impaired driving, crime risks and postulation information concerns.

“Importantly, nary akin statute authorizes drive-thru model liquor sales. Drive-thru model cannabis income create a nonstop nexus betwixt acquisition and conveyance operations,” nan constabulary group said, Marijuana Moment reports. “This will summation nan likelihood of drug-impaired driving incidents and deaths by encouraging nan contiguous aliases near-immediate depletion pursuing nan acquisition of edible and high-potency products, resulting successful vulnerable impairment.”

California dispensaries are already allowed to connection curbside pickup nether policies adopted during nan COVID-19 pandemic.

The Golden State has agelong been astatine nan forefront of marijuana legalization successful nan U.S. California legalized aesculapian cannabis successful 1996 and recreational marijuana for adults successful 2016.

The Independent has contacted Pellerin and nan California Narcotic Officers’ Association for comment.