With cannabis legalization at the forefront of everyone’s minds, states with legalized marijuana are attempting to find ways to make the buying and delivery process easier than ever before. Now, cannabis delivery drones are in question. With manufacturers wondering if this could help or hinder the process, some states are embracing the idea of high-flying weed–others aren’t so sure.
Just as it sounds, the idea is transporting cannabis by iPad-controlled drones, rather than human-driven vans. Not from dispensaries to consumers, but instead from manufacturer to dispensary, these automated cannabis deliveries have been proposed to cut down on cost and increase productivity. California has already shut down this proposed idea, with California’s Bureau of Cannabis Control placing strict regulations on cannabis delivery of all forms. They are hoping to increase safety surrounding recreational marijuana and believe that cannabis drones may be counterproductive to that goal.
Seattle, on the other hand, is fully embracing this idea within their city, hoping to have drones deliver cannabis to dispensaries by this spring. These drones will be controlled by highly-trained pilots only to help avoid any mishaps. Able to carry up to 80 pounds of marijuana and fly nearly six miles, these specialized drones are believed to be groundbreaking for the Washington cannabis industry.
Before summer starts, Seattle residents will be seeing the impact of these cannabis-delivering drones. No one knows for sure whether this will be as beneficial as Washington believes, or if it may hinder our progression within the cannabis community, as California decided. Whatever happens, we’ll be watching as our industry continues to embrace technology to provide better, more convenient service to it’s customers.