Marijuana May Soon Be Home Delivered In New York City

New York City authorities may soon allow licensed marijuana sellers to deliver their products to people's homes.

With the launch of storefront operations delayed in the Big Apple, authorities said marijuana home delivery might help jumpstart adult-use cannabis product sales.

A presentation at the New York Office of Cannabis Management last month mentioned a plan to kick off marijuana home delivery, media outlet The City reported.

Aaron Ghitelman, a spokesperson for the office, later confirmed the news to the outlet.

Ghitelman added that new details about the "non-store front delivery operations" may be rolled out in December. The announcement will "enable these small business owners to generate capital and scale their operations," the New York Office of Cannabis Management said in a tweet.

Authorities also released regulations that sellers will have to follow, while delivering cannabis products through the city. These include strict age verification and limiting means of delivery to road transport, according to the released draft.

As progress on the storefront operations remained slow, New York authorities approved licenses of 36 vendors wishing to sell recreational marijuana. Out of these, eight were not-for-profit organizations, and the rest were individual entrepreneurs.

Cannabis Control Board head Tremaine Wright said the decision was "monumental" for New York, hailing the state's progress on recreational marijuana over the last decade.

"Now, not only have we legalized, but we're also building a legal adult-use market with an equity-driven approach," she said, according to the New York Times.

New York's Dormitory Authority spokesperson clarified that allowing home delivery of marijuana was always part of the license agreement. However, permitting it before stores are active may indicate further delay.

"Going forward, with a delivery model in place, we'll be able to continue finalizing leases and financing without delaying sales," the outlet reported.

Meanwhile, multiple unlicensed marijuana shops have popped up in New York City over the last month, the New York Post reported. The most recent one was spotted in Kew Gardens. The outlet reported various marijuana products were being sold inside the outlet, including edibles, vapes, oils, flowered cannabis and pre-rolled joints.

"At best they're jumping the gun. At worst, they're illegal," Kew Gardens Civic Association leader Dominick Pistone said.