In an effort to stop the spread of the coronavirus, 17 states, 14 counties, and eight cities are under stay-at-home orders. This means at least 163 million people are only allowed out of their homes for essentials. Of course, government officials have different opinions about which businesses are essential.
All agree that groceries, gas, and healthcare are essential, but not all agree on cannabis. We’re keeping you updated on which states are allowing access to cannabis, deeming cannabis essential, and which are not.
Washington state just placed residents under stay-at-home orders due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Like many other states, cannabis producers and retailers have been designated as essential businesses able to remain open despite the order. The nonprofit medical cannabis advocacy group, Americans for Safe Access, and many others are working to ensure that patients retain access to cannabis during this period of uncertainty.
State-by-state
Across states with stay-at-home orders, consumers are stockpiling supplies, cannabis included. After the San Francisco Bay Area stay-home order was issued, cannabis sales increased by more than 150 percent over the same period last year according to Headset. Purchase levels of edibles reached heights typically only seen during 4/20 sales.
The city of Denver attempted to close cannabis shops on Monday, but in a response to the outcry from the community, reversed the orders hours later. “Panic buying” in Denver, Colorado created long lines outside of the stores, which can now remain open as long as strict social distancing protocols apply.
Nevada regulators are following similar guidelines and requiring that stores prevent crowds from forming. Illinois halted recreational sales but is allowing medical marijuana patients to receive their medicine in parking lots or curbside.
Cannabis For Sale During Coronavirus: State-by-State
Alaska
- Stay-at-home statewide effective March 28th at 5pm
- Anchorage, Alaska under “hunker-down” effective March 22nd
- Marijuana dispensaries deemed essential
- Allowing ID check windows to be used for sales and allowing retailers to construct pass-through windows
Alabama
- Birmingham, Alabama under Shelter-in-place effective March 24nd
- Medical Marijuana legalization not yet in effect
California
- Stay-at-home effective March 19th
- Cannabis retailers deemed essential business
- LA County and San Francisco localities also allow certain cannabis businesses to continue operations
- See this Leafly page for county and city information and updates.
Colorado
- State wide Stay-at-home effective March 26th at 5pm
- Stay-at-home in the city of Denver effective March 24th at 5pm
- Stay-at-home in the city of Boulder effective March 24th at 5pm
- Cannabis business allowed to provide curbside pickup
- Cannabis business are considered critical retail operations
- Doctors can issue medical cannabis recommendations via telemedicine
- Emergency rules temporarily loosen requirements for fingerprinting of marijuana business owners, modifications of facilities, and the transfer of samples for testing
Connecticut
- Stay-at-home effective March 23rd at 8pm
- Medical cannabis businesses are essential
- Allowing recommendations by telemedicine, extending renewal deadlines, relaxing staffing rules, and more
Delaware
- Shelter-in-place effective March 24th at 8am
- Allowing curbside pickup of cannabis products
District of Colombia
- Stay-at-home effective March 30th
- Allowing curbside pickup of cannabis products
- Telehealth allowed for renewals, but not for initial appointment
Florida
- Although the governor doesn’t want all Floridians on lockdown, most counties have issued their own Shelter-in-place recommendations
- Delivery is allowed
- Recertifications for medical cannabis patients are allowed via telemedicine
- No new medical certifications via telemedicine are allowed
Georgia
- Most large cities are under stay-at-home orders
- Low-THC Oil allowed for medical use, unclear how the stay-at-home orders are affecting access
Hawaii
- Stay-at-home effective March 25th at 12:01am
- Medical cannabis is deemed essential
- From DOH: “All licensees are taking steps to ask clients to order online to minimize time spent in the dispensary and to arrange for a caregiver to pick up their orders if they are not feeling well or have a health condition which places them at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19. Our usual schedule of regulatory inspections will be maintained as it is considered an essential function. We remain in close contact with all our licensees.”
Illinois
- Stay-at-home orders effective March 21st at 5pm
- Cannabis businesses, both dispensaries and cultivation facilities, declared essential
- Dispensaries are allowed to fulfill curbside medical cannabis orders -not recreational orders
Indiana
- Stay at home, effective March 24 at 11:59 p.m.
- Cannabis is illegal in Indiana
Iowa
- State of public health “Disaster Emergency”
- Low-THC Oil state
- The state has provided a waiver to allow for curbside pickup.
Kansas
- Johnson County; Stay at home, effective March 24 at 12:01 a.m.
- Leavenworth County; Stay at home, effective March 24
- Douglas County; Stay at home, effective March 24 at 12:01 a.m.
- Wyandotte County; Stay at home, effective March 24 at 12:01 a.m.
- Cannabis is illegal in Kansas
Kentucky
- Ordered nonessential businesses to close
- Medical cannabis bill under review
Louisiana
- Stay at home, effective March 23 at 5 p.m.
- Delivery allowed temporarily “where ever that patient is located — at home, hospital, or any other location” as a COVID-related measure
- During the declared emergency, rules are waived to allow telemedicine for existing patients.
Maine
- Portland, Maine under Stay-at-home effective March 25th at 5pm
- Medical cannabis considered essential
- Delivery is allowed
- The opening of adult-use stores in Maine — expected in June — may be delayed even further due to the virus.
Maryland
- Non-essential business closed
- Medical cannabis growers, processors, and dispensaries are exempt from the order
- Delivery is allowed
- Curbside pickup is allowed
Massachusetts
- Stay-at-home advisory effective March 24th at 12pm
- Medical cannabis is essential
- Recreational cannabis must shut down
- Doctors can remotely recommend marijuana to patients
- Medical dispensaries that deliver were advised to consider enlarging the areas they service
- Patients are being encouraged to place larger individual orders
Michigan
- Stay-at-home order effective March 24th at 12:01am
- Cannabis business can continue curbside sales and home deliveries; previously, retailers had to be licensed for delivery, and sales had to be conducted inside the store.
- No in-person transactions
- Extended the period of prequalification status for marijuana business license applications
Minnesota
- Stay-at-home effective March 27th at 11:59pm
- While the state has not yet issued any medical cannabis-specific waivers or guidance due to the virus, one of the two manufacturers has new procedures in place to promote social distancing, including advance booking and ordering. Details are available here.
Missouri
- Most of the state is under Stay-at-home orders
- St. Lous County; Stay-at-home effective March 23rd at 12:01am
- Kansas City: Stay-at-home effective March 24th at 12:01am
- “Cannabis production” deemed essential
- No dispensaries open
Montana
- Stay-at-home March 28th at 12:01am
- Medical cannabis delivery allowed in some localities
- Regulators issued recommendations to protect public health
Nevada
- Shelter-in-place regulations in place
- All cannabis sales must be conducted via delivery
New Hampshire
- Stay-at-home advisory effective March 27 at 11:59pm
- Medical cannabis patients are allowed curbside pickup
- Doctors can recommend medical cannabis via telemedicine
- Waived fee for designated caregiver applications
- Telehealth allowed
- Encouraging pre-orders
New Jersey
- Stay-at-home effective March 21st at 9pm
- Medical cannabis deemed exempt from the order
- Curbside pickup for medical cannabis allowed
- Reduced caregiver registration fees
New Mexico
- Stay-at-home effective March 24th at 8am
- Medical cannabis deemed essential
- Curbside pickup services allowed
- Extended expiring patient and caregiver cards for 90 days
- Suspended background checks for new industry employees
New York
- Stay-at-home effective March 22nd at 8pm
- Medical cannabis providers are essential businesses
- Authorized providers can carry out home delivery
- Home delivery can expand without written approval
North Dakota
- No changes
Ohio
- Stay-at-home effective March 23rd at 11:59pm
- Medical cannabis is exempt from the shutdown
- Doctors are able to issue medical cannabis recommendations via telemedicine
- Patients can phone in orders ahead of arrival to reduce time inside facilities
- Regulators may allow parking lot orders, but will require cash payments inside.
- Regulators sent guidance, including limited capacity in waiting rooms, serving the elderly and at-risk first, and health and sanitation measures (Details here)
Oklahoma
- Older and vulnerable people across Oklahoma recommended to stay home, but mayors in the state’s major cities, including Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and Norman, ordered all residents to do so
- Cannabis is an essential business
- Curbside pickup
Oregon
- Stay-at-home effective March 23rd
- Cannabis is essential
- Curbside delivery at licensed retail locations is allowed
- Obtaining cannabis worker permits is easier
- Increased purchase limit
Pennsylvania
- Seven counties “hit hardest” are under stay-at-home orders effective March 23rd at 8pm
- Medical cannabis providers are “life-sustaining” operations
- A “90 day supply” is allowed
- Patients are able to have orders brought to cars outside of dispensaries
- Caregivers can make deliveries to an unlimited number of patients
Rhode Island
- Stay-at-home effective March 28th
- DOH indicated they are in the process of approving plans for delivery and curbside pick up for all three dispensaries
- Number of patients in the facility being limited at some dispensaries
- Curbside pickup happening at one dispensary
Tenessee
- Davidson County; Stay-at-home, effective March 23
- Memphis; Stay-at-home, effective March 24 at 6 p.m.
- Cannabis is illegal
Texas
- Most areas under shelter in place advisory
- Dallas County; Shelter in place, effective March 23 at 11:59 p.m.
- San Antonio; Stay at home, effective March 23
- Access to cannabis for medical use (low-THC oil; less than 0.5%) is unclear
Virginia
- Stay-at-home effective March 30th
- Cannabis is illegal
Vermont
- Stay-at-home effective March 25th at 5pm
- Allowing delivery to patients in cars in dispensary parking lots
- Registry identification cards for patients, caregivers, and staff have been temporarily expanded for 90 days
Washington State
- Stay-at-home order effective March 23rd
- Cannabis businesses are essential
- Delivery is not allowed
- Curbside service allowed for both recreational and medical cannabis users
- The LCB lifted rules prohibiting family members under 21 to come to cannabis facilities
West Virginia
- Stay-at-home March 24th at 8pm
- No dispensaries open right now
Wisconson
- Safer-at-home regulations effective March 25th at 8am
- Cannabis is illegal
