COVID-19 is changing industries across the globe, and the cannabis industry is no different.
After the coronavirus pandemic hit, cannabis regulators moved quickly to decide whether and how cannabis shops could remain open. Most states declared cannabis essential, both for medical and adult use, with the exception of Massachusetts, which halted adult use sales as part of the effort to stem the spread.
The COVID-19 rules have meant that cannabis consumers must practice social distancing when making purchases, or, for example, they have to pick up products curbside. But one topic in particular that has gained traction amid the long-term planning around COVID-19 is cannabis delivery.
Cannabis Wire had a conversation with Meredith Mahoney, president of Lantern, and Jaci Flug, general counsel for Drizly Group, which is the parent company for Lantern and Drizly. Lantern is a cannabis delivery platform off-shoot of Drizly, a national alcohol delivery platform.
Flug is also currently a member of Denver’s newly formed Marijuana Licensing Work Group, which held its first meeting last week on delivery with a focus on equity. And, formerly, Flug served as general counsel of the New York State Liquor Authority.
So far, Lantern has only launched in Boston, Massachusetts, and only for medical cannabis. But Lantern’s ambitions stretch outside Massachusetts, as their lobbying registrations have shown, and beyond medical cannabis