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A California Senate committee has approved and Assembly-passed bill that would allow marijuana retailers to offer drive-thru windows to serve customers.
The measure, which cleared the Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee in a 7-3 vote on Monday, says that licensed cannabis retailers and microbusinesses with storefronts could sell marijuana products “to a customer in a motor vehicle in a drive-through located on the premises.”
Under AB 2697 from Assemblymember Gail Pellerin (D), cannabis businesses would need approval from the local jurisdictions in which they operate in order to add the drive-thru option.
The sponsor told members of the committee before the latest vote that the bill “will expand access to legal cannabis products while strengthening legal market’s ability to compete with the illicit market.”
Annie Aubrey of Chuck’s Wellness Center, a retailer in Placerville, testified that the legislation “is about improving access.”
“A significant portion of our customers rely on cannabis as medicine, including seniors, veterans and individuals living with chronic conditions that affect mobility—exactly the population this regulated system is meant to serve,” she said. “For many, even simple tasks like exiting a vehicle or navigating a retail space can be physically difficult or prohibitive… A drive-through option removes that barrier, allowing patients and consumers to access what they need in a way that is dignified and consistent with their health needs.”
Amy O’Gorman Jenkins of the California Cannabis Operators Association said the legislation would provide “operational flexibility within a highly regulated system.”
“It does not expand who can access cannabis,” she said. “It just allows retailers, with local approval, to serve existing patients and customers in a more efficient manner.”
Jenkins also argued that the measure could improve safety.
“Today, curbside traction transactions are already permitted. This means employees are regularly required to leave a secured premises while carrying product, and at times cash into parking lots,” she said. “AB 2697 provides an additional mechanism to attain product, but requires a fixed, secure transaction point—keeping employees inside and reducing exposure to theft.”
Pellerin, the bill sponsor, previously said that “California cannabis retailers lack a common and accessible transaction path for consumers afforded so many other retailers in California, including fast food, pharmacies, banks and even liquor stores.”
“Cannabis consumers who have mobility issues or other disabilities have limited options for being able to obtain cannabis without having to step out of their vehicles. And while home delivery is legal, there are service area restrictions,” she said. “Allowing cannabis retailers to add the consumer-friendly option of a secured drive through, if approved by the local jurisdiction, will enhance the consumer experience, increase safety at cannabis retailers, and help expand California’s legal cannabis marketplace.”
The California Narcotic Officers’ Association opposes the proposal, however, with a representative, Ryan Sherman, testifying that it would be harder for dispensary workers to check customers’ IDs for age compliance or to detect signs of current intoxication at drive-thru windows.
“This bill prioritizes speed of sale over public safety, while undermining current safeguards designed to prevent illegal sales and protect public safety,” he argued.
Under a current policy enacted during the height of the COVID pandemic, dispensaries can already offer curbside pickup.
The bill that is advancing in the legislature would mandate that drive-thru sales “shall occur through a fixed-pane security window with a security drawer or similar secure transfer mechanism that is part of a building located within the premises.”
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California regulators recently adopted emergency rules changes for the state’s marijuana licensing process that are intended to make it easier for businesses to qualify for benefits in line with the Trump administration’s recent move to federally reschedule medical cannabis.
Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), meanwhile, recently took credit for helping to lead the push for the state to legalize marijuana and discussed his own limited experience with using cannabis.
In October, however, Newsom vetoed a bill that would have allowed certain marijuana microbusinesses to ship medical cannabis products directly to patients via common carriers like FedEx and UPS, stating that the proposal “would be burdensome and overly complex to administer.”
Newsom did sign a bill earlier that month aimed at streamlining research on marijuana and psychedelics.
In September, the governor also signed a measure into law to put a pause on a recently enacted tax hike on marijuana products.
Separately, the state attorney general says Indian tribes cannot independently engage in marijuana commerce with licensed cannabis businesses without first obtaining their own commercial license from state officials.
California officials recently awarded nearly $30 million in grants for marijuana-focused academic research projects.
Tom Angell is the editor of Marijuana Moment. A 25-year veteran in the cannabis and drug law reform movement, he covers the policy, politics, science and culture of marijuana, psychedelics and other substances. He previously reported for Forbes, Marijuana.com and MassRoots, and was given the Hunter S. Thompson Media Award by NORML and has been named Journalist of the Year by Americans for Safe Access. As an activist, Tom founded the nonprofit Marijuana Majority and handled media relations, campaigns and lobbying for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition and Students for Sensible Drug Policy.
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