Proposed Marijuana Home Delivery Bill Has Its Pros & Cons
DENVER (CBS4) - Colorado lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow medical and recreational dispensaries to deliver marijuana to homes.
Rep. Jonathan Singer, D-Longmont, is sponsoring Senate Bill 192, and compares the proposed marijuana delivery service to ordering an Uber.
"It's the idea that you can pull up an app on your phone, order medical or recreational marijuana, as long as you're over the age of 21," Singer said. "You'd be able to access a dispensary that has a contract with one of the delivery companies, and that delivery company would make sure that every single driver has a clean bill of health, a clean background check, and a clean driving record."
Under the bill, dispensaries could deliver marijuana to one's front door with proof of identification.
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"This is a safe, responsible way of making sure that marijuana can be delivered to the people that need it the most, when it's medicine, and the people that want it the most, if it's recreational, in a safe fashion," said Singer.
Delivery exemptions include areas near schools, playgrounds, day care centers, public spaces, dorm rooms, and hotels, among others.
Justin Henderson owns Peak Dispensary in Denver's Baker neighborhood, and thinks the proposed law could be an added bonus for businesses like his.
"We've got some clients I think could benefit from being able to have a delivery service," Henderson said. "It might cut down on some foot traffic for some of the stores. We've got a high traffic area here, so I don't know how much it would it impact us directly.
While Henderson doesn't believe pot delivery would affect his bottom line, he does have concerns over safety measures.
"There's some banking issues that would need to happen to ensure some safety for those delivery people," Henderson said.
Weed delivery services are illegal in the state of Colorado, although CBS4 cameras have caught apparent deliveries in the act.
"Anything that stamps out the black market and provides a safe regulated system makes Colorado stand out in a good way," Singer said.
The bill is scheduled for a March 1 hearing. Sen. Tim Neville, R-Littleton, and Rep. Jovan Melton, D-Aurora, also co-sponsor the bill.
LINK: Read The Full Text Of Bill 192
Andrea Flores is a reporter for CBS4. Follow her on Facebook and Twitter @AndreaFloresTV.
