Dope to your door: New York issues guidance allowing marijuana deliveries by bike, scooter, or car
NEW YORK (WABC) -- The New York State Office of Cannabis Management announced guidance Friday that will allow licensees to deliver marijuana by bicycle, scooter, and vehicles.
"Our statute contemplates that those operating retails will already have some delivery component to their busines and so we're just giving them a little jumpstart, Executive Director Chris Alexander said.
The guidance will allow retail licensees to secure a warehouse to fulfill online or over-the-phone delivery orders while they build permanent dispensary locations for up to one year.
On Friday, The Bronx Community Foundation showed off the Bronx Dispensary Showroom which the organization created to provide resources and education about the industry to license applicants.
"This is critical because many individuals who will be entering this market have never seen a dispensary in full operation," President and CEO, Meisha Porter, said.
There was no marijuana was on site, but the space was full of enthusiastic future businessmen and women.
"It teaches you. I've never owned a dispensary, I've never ran a dispensary. Most people in New York have never owed or ran a dispensary. So this can actually show you, this is what your dispensary should look like, this is how it should operate, this is what you need to be prepared for," provisional licensee Matthew Robinson said.
Marijuana prohibition in New York swept mostly Blacks and Latinos into the criminal justice system. The impact has been most harmful in communities like the Bronx.
"While we are healing we must learn and capitalize on this moment," Deputy Bronx Borough President Janet Peguero said.
Last month, officials approved 36 businesses and nonprofits for licenses to operate the first retail dispensaries in the state.
The showroom is open to the public until December 11.
Officials expect consumers to be able to purchase marijuana for delivery before the end of the year.
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