While some people call it weed delivery or marijuana delivery, this convenient option is expanding for both medical patients and adult-use cannabis consumers in legal marketplaces. Here’s what you need to know.
Medically reviewed by Katherine Golden, RN, and Eloise Theisen, NP
Written by Denise Rustning
Cannabis delivery offers convenience and privacy, and can be a gamechanger for medical marijuana patients who struggle with mobility or lack transportation. Shopping for cannabis online and having it delivered is also more discrete and can make for a more relaxed buying experience than visiting a busy dispensary.
As cannabis delivery comes online in more areas, we thought we’d take a look at some of the pros and cons of this option and share how Leaf411 can help you navigate the online shopping and delivery process.
Cannabis delivery is different
Cannabis delivery follows different rules than any other product due to the fact that cannabis is so highly regulated. When you first order cannabis home delivery, don’t be surprised if the rules are more complicated than ordering food through DoorDash, though the cannabis delivery services are working hard to make the process as simple as possible while remaining compliant with the law.
Also, keep in mind that cannabis delivery rules and regulations vary between states and even between cities. Your experience ordering cannabis for delivery in Colorado will be different from cannabis delivery in California or Michigan, for example. We’ve included the Denver, Colorado, cannabis delivery rules at the bottom of this blog post as an example.
The benefits of cannabis delivery
Do you recall your first visit to a cannabis dispensary? If you’re like many people, you probably felt like being a kid in a candy store as you discovered the hundreds of legal cannabis products on the market today, from edibles and tinctures to vapes, concentrates and a wide range of cannabis flower strains.
But over time, you may find that you repeatedly buy the same cannabis products that work well for your needs, whether those are pain relief, better sleep or other wellness goals. In this case, delivery can provide a convenient option for restocking your cannabis medicine without having to take time away from other obligations.
We know as well that some patients may struggle with mobility issues and reliable transportation. Cannabis delivery may provide a helpful alternative for safely getting your plant-based medicine without having to leave home.
Also, the dispensary shopping experience isn’t for everyone. Some people find the experience stressful or overwhelming, or they may have had negative experiences interacting with budtenders who didn’t really understand their needs. Cannabis delivery provides a discrete, convenient alternative for purchasing cannabis without the worry or pressure from sales-driven budtenders.
You may be wondering how you can explore new cannabis products and get your questions answered when ordering online. Fortunately, the industry is taking steps to fill this need, and organizations like Leaf411 are playing a critical role in answering cannabis patient questions.
Getting help with cannabis delivery product ordering
Most dispensaries have put their product menus online. While these menus are convenient for browsing and comparing prices, they sometimes fall short when you have questions about the products themselves, especially when online listings only contain photos with few other details.
How do you get your questions answered? Some dispensaries and delivery services offer a live budtender chat function so that you can ask questions about specific products in much the same way you would if you were standing in the store. For example, you might want to know how much THC is in an incredibles cannabis-infused chocolate bar before ordering it for delivery. The virtual budtender available via chat would be able to help with that question.
Our Leaf411 cannabis-trained nurses are also available to help based on your health and wellness goals—including medical questions that budtenders are not qualified to answer!
We do recommend that you contact us well in advance before placing your order so that we have the time to review your needs and the product options that are available in your area. Visit our homepage and click on the “Let’s Talk” button to schedule your call with one of our fully-licensed expert Leaf RNs.
Finding a trustworthy cannabis delivery service in Denver, Colorado
Despite Colorado having one of the oldest legal cannabis marketplaces, cannabis delivery is a relatively new phenomenon following changes in the law. In 2021, several Colorado cities including Denver began licensing cannabis delivery services for adult-use (recreational) cannabis. The City of Denver has limited the cannabis delivery business licenses to social equity applicants for the first three years.
What does that mean for you? It means that when you opt for cannabis delivery in Denver, you are also supporting a social equity business. We’re proud to share that several of these businesses are Leaf411 members as well!
One of Leaf411’s newest business members is Better Days Delivery service. Better Days Delivery is a Denver- and Aurora-licensed social equity cannabis delivery service with a focus on health-conscious, environmentally friendly service to the community. They focus on partnering with established dispensaries that carry high-quality products while providing personalized and interactive customer experiences. Better Days first dispensary delivery partner is L’Eagle Denver and you can place your order directly online here.
Leaf411 has also welcomed doobba cannabis delivery onboard as a supporting member. This company was the first to submit a license application following the change in rules in Denver, with owners Ari and Karina Cohen determined to change the perception around cannabis and end prohibition. If you’re in Denver, CO, you can order a wide range of products, including Wana Optimals products directly from doobba’s website without having to search through different dispensary listings. Remember that Leaf nurses are also available on our special Wana hotline number at 844-WanaFit (844-926-2348) to answer any questions you have while ordering Wana gummies online.
Questions about the delivery itself? When it comes to the logistics side of things, you’ll want to reach out to the cannabis delivery service company for queries on how long it will take for your order to arrive, methods of payment and other details specific to the delivery process.
How much does cannabis delivery cost?
Convenience comes at a price. That’s definitely the case when it comes to cannabis delivery. Cannabis delivery companies have to follow complex and expensive requirements that may include product tracking software, GPS tracking on delivery vehicles and limits on how much cannabis a delivery driver can have in the vehicle, translating into more trips between dispensaries and customers’ homes. When we recently took a look online, we saw fees that ranged from free to $19.99 per delivery.
However, in some cases delivery fees can be offset by special deals offered either by the delivery company itself, dispensaries or product manufacturers.
On top of delivery fees, you’ll want to consider tipping the delivery driver in the same way that you tip food delivery or other service providers.
Finding cannabis delivery in your area
Because cannabis delivery is so new in many areas, it can be challenging to find what options exist. While we shared a few recommendations for the Denver, Colorado, area, we know that many of you will be looking for services in other areas of the country.
When looking for cannabis delivery, keep in mind that state and local regulations dictate whether dispensaries may deliver directly to the consumer or if standalone cannabis delivery companies are allowed.
If you know the dispensary you want to purchase from, you can visit their website to see if they have a delivery option on their online menu page. You can also go directly to a cannabis delivery service website like doobba delivery to shop across different product categories.
A quick online search can pull up multiple options, but be careful when doing so, since illicit delivery services do exist and may openly operate in some areas. Legitimate delivery services are licensed by the state they operate in, and should have some proof of their license on their website or on the delivery drivers themselves. For example, delivery services in California are required to list their license number on their website. And in the Denver metro area, delivery drivers are required to wear a state-issued MED badge visible above their waist, just like in-store budtenders.
Sites like Leafly can be helpful for finding delivery services as well. Check out this article for more information.
A look at Denver’s cannabis delivery rules
We’ve mentioned how cannabis delivery regulations vary between different states and even different cities. Below is a summary of the current rules for cannabis delivery in Denver, CO:
By law, cannabis delivery is allowed from 8:00 a.m. to midnight.
- Deliveries can only be made to residential addresses within Denver (including apartments and Airbnbs), but not to businesses, restaurants, bars or public areas like parks.
- Hotels are a bit of a gray area, with the City of Denver stating that delivery is okay if “the customer or patient lives at the hotel, and the hotel does not prohibit marijuana on its premises.” You can find the rules at this link. Your best bet is to check with the delivery service if you’re unsure whether your location qualifies for delivery.
- In an interesting twist on the residential address requirement, you don’t need to live at the residence, but only be present to accept the order on delivery. This means that you can order cannabis delivery while hanging out at a friend’s house as long as you’re there when the product gets delivered. Your friend or relative cannot accept delivery on your behalf.
- When accepting your order, you will need to show a valid ID proving you are 21 or older. If your friends decide to stand at the door with you, then they’ll need to show their IDs as well.
- You may also need to complete some paperwork from your delivery driver confirming receipt of the cannabis products you bought. This is part of the state’s ‘seed-to-sale’ tracking process in place to ensure that cannabis is not lost, stolen, or diverted to the illicit market.
- Just as with in-dispensary shopping, returns are not allowed, so you’ll want to make sure to ask your driver to review the order contents before handing over the product to you.
- If there are problems with an order (for example, they bring the wrong product and you do not accept the order), the delivery driver will need to return to the dispensary to fix the issue. They do not carry extra inventory in their vehicles.
Leaf411 can help with your cannabis questions
Whether you’re shopping online or needing help with products that you already have on hand, our friendly cannabis-trained, fully licensed RNs are ready to help with your questions. Visit our homepage to get started scheduling your nurse consultation, or call us at 844-532-3411 if you have questions about the new scheduling system.
The Leaf411 cannabis nurse hotline provides free, anonymous education and directional support to the general public about the safe use of legal cannabis. We partner with select business members who meet our rigorous standards to extend our education and outreach efforts.