DETROIT — A dispensary in Detroit has launched a service that brings marijuana directly to its customer's door.
Utopia Gardens LLC launched a delivery service for patients approved to purchase medical marijuana.
"Some of our patients are sick and going through chemotherapy, etc; so it’s a more convenient way for them to be able to shop without having to leave their houses," said dispensary manager Donnell Cravens.
According to the Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs, three licensed dispensaries or provisioning centers are now able to provide a delivery service service legally: Utopia Gardens LLC in Detroit, Lake Effect Group LLC in Portage, and BotaniQ in Detroit.
Patients are required to have their medical marijuana card verified and the product can only be delivered to the address on the card.
“This was easier than placing an online order through Amazon, not gonna lie to you," said Rashon Massey, one of the first patients to use the new service.
Think of it like Grubhub or Uber Eats, only for weed.
“This is exciting. I have chronic pain so I can’t always leave the house. I have a small business so this convenience is everything for me," Massey said.
The delivery normally takes around 45 minutes to arrive.
Customers ordering within Wayne County, which houses Detroit, must place an order of $50 in order to be eligible for delivery. Customers in nearby Macomb and Oakland Counties must order a minimum of $100. There is no additional charge for delivery.
“If you do a call-in order, you call in and we verify all of your information through the state-wide database to make sure you are a valid card holder," Cravens said.
Patients may only pay via a debit card, Cravens said, as to insure drivers aren't put at risk by transporting large amounts of cash.
In the three days since the service started, Cravens said Utopia Gardens has already made about 15 deliveries.
It's a service the dispensary eventually wants to offer for recreational products as well, pending state approval.