Cannabis Delivery Proves Essential During COVID-19 Quarantine

There are so many disturbing and upsetting developments that have occurred over the last month concerning the global pandemic, Coronavirus, that it is hard to count. But one specific development has been pretty interesting in regard to cannabis legalization. State after sate has determined cannabis to be an “essential” part of life. This is quite the validation the industry has been seeking since prohibition. And with this “essential” new status has come a surge in sales across the board as users stock pile the items they feel they need the most to get through these trying times.

Although sales are surging for the industry overall, one group of license holders have become more essential than others: delivery services. Considering the nature of a viral pandemic and the need to stay as far away from other human beings as possible, it makes sense that having your groceries, alcohol, toilet paper and weed delivered would feel the safest.

States like Louisiana, Pennsylvania and NJ, among many more, have changed their cannabis rules almost completely to allow for either delivery or curbside pick-up. It would have normally taken years to have these services accepted and implemented. Over the next year, as the virus begins to recede, it will be interesting to see if these changes will remain permanent.

Driven Deliveries Inc. announced that over the last 10 days the company has experienced record growth and demand with a greater than 100% increase in sales. Following California’s decision to deem Cannabis deliveries an “essential business,” Driven is increasing infrastructure to provide California customers safe access to legal cannabis through the government mandated quarantine.

“Driven Deliveries was founded on the bedrock principle of enabling universal access to cannabis to California’s population,” said Driven Deliveries’ CEO Christian Schenk. “Driven is the only service that provides deliveries to 92% of California’s population, giving millions of people access to on-demand legal cannabis from the security and safety of their own home during this very difficult time”.

The impact of coronavirus has required Driven to scale its driver network to meet the increase in demand. In an effort to comply with Government orders to stay home, Driven expects further growth as people continue to incorporate delivery services into their new routines.

Finally, Driven continues to innovate in ways to make delivery both easier and safer. Driven’s delivery system allows consumers to leverage electronic payment methods as well as cash, making it significantly more convenient than other options. In addition to the extra steps being taken to ensure safe deliveries through the use of protective disposable gloves and continuous sanitization, Driven is also exploring new ways that technology can be used for a contact free delivery while still meeting the ID verification requirements.

Groups like Driven Deliveries understand that anxiety and stress are increased around the country, and that both medical and recreational customers want access to cannabis without the risk of exposure associated with visiting a dispensary.

Tokr, a Los Angeles-based delivery service, reports a delivery increase of 287 percent since March 12, 2020. The company also says that its average cart size has tripled. “People are really stocking up anticipating they will be home for an extended period of time,” explained Matthew Singer, CO-founder & CEO of Tokr . Its drivers also remain 6 feet from all consumers during delivery transactions, Tokr says.

Delivery has emerged as the ideal way to get your cannabis. It will be difficult for states that had not allowed delivery services prior to the virus to go back to business as usual once things clear up. Cannabis delivery will most likely be a staple to the cannabis industry country-wide moving forward.

Cynthia Salarizadeh

Founder and CEO of AxisWire, Founder and President of the luxury cannabis brand the House of Saka, Co-founder of Green Market Media & Industry Power Women. Cynthia is a contributing writer for Entrepreneur and Forbes. She sits on the Forbes Communications Council and holds a degree from the University of Pennsylvania and a certificate in journalism from Georgetown University.


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