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California Bans Drones and Self-Driving Cars From Delivering Weed

California Bans Drones and Self-Driving Cars From Delivering Weed

Business

California Bans Drones and Self-Driving Cars From Delivering Weed

As the Golden State continues prepping for recreational sales, California bans drones and self-driving cars from delivering weed.

The newest set of guidelines from the California Department of Consumer Affairs sets a number of rules for the emerging legal weed industry. When it comes to cannabis delivery options, California bans drones and self-driving cars from delivering weed.

New Business Licensing Regulations

On September 6, the California Department of Consumer Affairs Bureau of Cannabis Control released an important new document. The “Commercial Cannabis Business Licensing Program Regulations” establishes a series of rules that will help govern the state’s cannabis industry.

The document includes rules for everything from growing to testing weed products to retail, shipping, environmental concerns, and everything in between.

Cannabis delivery is one of the interesting things covered by the new rules. In particular, the rules make clear that companies will not be allowed to use drones or self-driving cars to deliver products.

The “Transportation” section says: “Transportation may not be done by aircraft, watercraft, rail, drones, human powered vehicles, or unmanned vehicles.”

But the rules don’t just outline what companies can’t do. It also highlights the precise way weed delivery companies are supposed to operate.

“A retailer may deliver cannabis to qualified patients and primary caregivers aged 18 years or older or to adults aged 21 years and older,” the document says. “Deliveries may be made only in person by enclosed motor vehicle.”

It goes on to say that weed deliveries can only be made if the cannabis isn’t visible from outside the vehicle. Additionally, vehicles used to deliver weed must have a GPS device that lets the dispensary know exactly where they are at all times.

Emerging Industry Innovations

California Bans Drones and Self-Driving Cars From Delivering Weed

The new rules come as California prepares for full-scale recreational sales early next year. Similarly, they come in the midst of what many are calling the “green rush.”

This rush of cannabis-related business, investment, and entrepreneurial activity often includes trends from other industries. Home delivery is one example of this.

But California’s rules will immediately block any attempt to bring drone delivery into the cannabis space. This is becoming an increasingly popular idea in other industries.

For example, Amazon’s Prime Air system promises to “safely get packages to customers in 30 minutes or less using unmanned aerial vehicles, also called drones.”

Similarly, a company in California is exploring how to deliver pizzas using unmanned ground vehicles. Additionally, Uber continues looking into the possibility of using self-driving cars to carry passengers.

Given the explosion of activity in the cannabis space, it seems like only a matter of time before weed companies begin testing out similar innovations.

Final Hit: California Bans Drones and Self-Driving Cars From Delivering Weed

As California bans drones and self-driving cars from delivering weed, the Golden State has already beat weed entrepreneurs to the punch. At least for now, automated weed delivery systems will not be the way of the future for weed smokers in California.

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