I am old enough to remember when my parents could call the local pharmacy, read the details of a prescription over the phone, and then wait for the pharmacy to deliver the medication to our front door. Home delivery was pretty common back then. Pharmacies don’t do it so much anymore, although they legally could. Does the same hold true for medical cannabis? Yes and no.

 

More than three-dozen states have decriminalized medical cannabis. My research indicates that 19 of them allow home delivery in some form. The remaining 10 or so do not. But even in states where home delivery is allowed, strict regulations are in place. Suffice it to say that it is not as easy to deliver medical cannabis as other types of prescription medications.

 

Not Really the Same Thing

 

Understanding the many challenges of medical cannabis home delivery begins with the knowledge that cannabis really isn’t the same thing as a typical prescription medication. For starters, at the time this post is being written, cannabis is still a Schedule I controlled substance. Doctors cannot write prescriptions for cannabis even if they want to.

 

This reality points directly to one of the first challenges medical cannabis pharmacies and manufactures face: differing regulatory frameworks. For instance, medical cannabis laws in Utah differ from those in Oklahoma. Pharmacies in Utah can deliver; dispensaries in Oklahoma cannot.

 

Until there is some form of federal standardization, state regulations are likely to remain in conflict. Things could continue that way even with federal rescheduling or decriminalization. But at least for now, standardization just isn’t a viable option. States must regulate medical cannabis in whatever way they believe protects them best against federal repercussions.

 

Other Challenges to Consider

 

Medical cannabis not being a genuine prescription medication may be the biggest challenge to home delivery, but it is not the only challenge. Manufacturers and retailers face other challenges as well:

 

• Payments – Cannabis continues to be a mostly cash-only business due to federal laws that prohibit banks from offering traditional services to cannabis companies. That means payment headaches for home deliveries. Drivers need to carry large amounts of cash, which really isn’t safe.

 

• Locations – Most states with home delivery restrict delivery to residential addresses. Moreover, delivery addresses need to match the addresses listed for patience in state databases. Most states do not allow delivery to hotels, resorts, or even workplaces.

 

• Recipients – State regulators also tend to insist that cannabis deliveries can only be received by original purchasers. That means a medical cannabis patient cannot allow a family member to receive her delivery while she’s at work.

 

• Scheduling – Scheduling home delivery can be tricky, especially if a patient works a regular 9-to-5 job outside of the house. He needs to be there when his delivery arrives, which means delivery cannot be scheduled during normal working hours.

 

The operators of the Zion Medicinal medical cannabis pharmacy in Cedar City, UT say there is an added twist to scheduling in the Beehive State: rural deliveries. There are only 15 medical cannabis pharmacies in Utah. Unfortunately, Utah is a very rural state. Patients living in outlying areas may have to schedule deliveries days in advance of when they will actually need their medications.

 

It Works, For Now

 

The way medical cannabis home delivery is currently structured works, at least for now. But let us assume the federal government reschedules marijuana in the near future. That will change things dramatically. From banking reform to the ability to write actual prescriptions, the demand for home delivery could skyrocket. Things will have to change in order to meet demand.