Legal Marijuana: Colorado Delivery Bill Would Make Getting Pot As Easy As Ordering Pizza

Although adults 21 and older are able to go to a dispensary in Colorado and buy marijuana products, ordering pot and having it delivered to a home is still illegal in the state. However, that soon could change with a bill that would legalize the home delivery of medical and recreational cannabis products. Senate Bill 192, which was introduced on Tuesday, would allow dispensaries to make home deliveries as soon as next year.

Age restrictions and current marijuana laws would still apply, but SB 192 would enable retail marijuana shops to apply for a delivery “endorsement,” which would allow an approved contractor to deliver marijuana flower, concentrates, edibles and other associated products to a customer’s doorstep. The bill limits purchases to 1 ounce of recreational flower or comparable products while medical cardholders would be able to purchase 2 ounces of products.

Sen. Jonathan Singer, a Longmont Democrat, told the Cannabist the bill would eliminate struggles medical patients may face when they’re too sick or unable to go to a retail shop to purchase marijuana products, among other challenges.

“This hopefully solves some of the problems as it relates to people concerned about marijuana DUIs or sick patients who don’t have access to dispensaries,” he said.

Singer also noted the bill would create a “safety valve” around the state’s marijuana operations, just in case a federal crackdown was implemented or local governments attempted to block the transfer of products among dispensaries, medical marijuana facilities and a person’s home.

“This ensures that we have a safe passage, and it doesn’t escape out the backdoor,” he said.

The bill was modeled after a similar measure that passed in Oregon, permitting the sale and delivery of marijuana products to qualifying adults and medical patients' homes, which went into effect in early February.

Although California only passed legislation legalizing recreational marijuana for adults in November, medical patients have had access to marijuana delivery services at participating dispensaries since 2010.

SB 192 is scheduled to go before the Senate Business, Labor and Technology Committee on March 1.