Connect with us

Politics

Colorado Lawmakers Considering Allowing Marijuana Deliveries

Published

on

Colorado’s legal marijuana system is continuing to evolve, and that could include allowing medical and retail cannabis deliveries.

A bill filed on Tuesday would create a new class of permits for retailers and transporters to deliver cannabis and related products to qualified medical marijuana patients or adults over 21. It would also require those seeking a permit to go through a training program to learn the rules around delivering marijuana.

If the legislation were to pass, medical cannabis deliveries would start in January 2020 and retail deliveries would start in January 2021.

Under former Gov. John Hickenlooper (D), who is now a 2020 presidential candidate, the prospects of expanding the state’s marijuana program by allowing deliveries would have been dismal. He’d vetoed more modest proposals such as adding autism to the list of conditions that qualify patients for medical cannabis.

But the industry has a friend in the new governor, Jared Polis (D). Unlike his predecessor, Polis has long championed legalization and pledged to sign into law several proposals that Hickenlooper blocked.

That could be why state lawmakers seem more emboldened this legislative session to introduce various, wide-ranging pieces of marijuana legislation.

There are already bills to allow medical marijuana for any condition that opioids are prescribed for, to provide protections for medical marijuana patients who own firearms and to authorize on-site consumption of cannabis at licensed shops.


Marijuana Moment is already tracking more than 900 cannabis bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.

Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access.

While Polis hasn’t weighed in on each of the new proposals directly, he’s indicated that he’s willing to go further and faster on marijuana expansion than his predecessor was, and these bills seem to be within the realm of possibility.

“He doesn’t want to go slowly about pot at all,” Hickenlooper said of Polis in an interview with The Colorado Sun in January. “I’m not saying it’s wrong, it just different. We thought at the beginning we should go more cautiously. He wants to go fast.”

Colorado Governor Touts Marijuana And Industrial Hemp In State Of The State Address

Marijuana Moment is made possible with support from readers. If you rely on our cannabis advocacy journalism to stay informed, please consider a monthly Patreon pledge.
Become a patron at Patreon!
Advertisement

Marijuana News In Your Inbox

Get our daily newsletter.

Support Marijuana Moment

Marijuana News In Your Inbox

 

Get our daily newsletter.