The governor of Colorado has signed a bill into law that would allow online marijuana sales.
About a month after the measure from Reps. William Lindstedt (D), Said Sharbini (D) and Robert Rodriguez (D) cleared the legislature, Gov. Jared Polis (D) gave it final approval on Thursday.
It strikes language from existing statute that explicitly prohibits cannabis from being sold on the internet, while adding regulations to provide for online commerce.
Adults 21 and older will still need to physically pick up the marijuana products from the retailer, but they can browse and electronically purchase cannabis online ahead of visiting the store.
The bill Polis signed says that retailers will be required to verify the name and age of the customer at the time of the online purchase, and that information will have to match identification that they’d provide when they come to pick up the products.
Further, the retailer will have to provide shoppers with “digital versions of all warning or educational materials that the retail marijuana store is required to post and provide on its licensed premises.” The customer will have to “acknowledge receipt” of those materials before finishing their purchase.
“What the bill mainly aims to do, from my perspective, is reduce cash in the marijuana space, which is something that is exceedingly important to do because when there is a tremendous amount of cash in any industry, it can lead to some troubling outcomes—specifically things like robbery,” Sen. Kevin Van Winkle (R) said on the floor last month. “It sets them up for tremendous amount of potential theft, and other things.”
—
Marijuana Moment is tracking more than 1,000 cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters pledging at least $25/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don’t miss any developments.
Learn more about our marijuana bill tracker and become a supporter on Patreon to get access.
—
State lawmakers are also hoping that Congress will further resolve the marijuana industry’s unique financial and public safety issues by passing the bipartisan Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act this session.
Polis has signed a number of drug policy reform bills in recent weeks.
For example, he also recently approved legislation that will bolster marijuana-related protections for working professionals in the state—effectively codifying an executive order he issued last year.
And he signed a bill last week to create a regulatory framework for legal psychedelics under a voter-approved initiative.
