Blog > Weed Delivery App: Cannabis and Medical Marijuana on Demand

Weed Delivery App: Cannabis and Medical Marijuana on Demand

The legalization of marijuana across several states in the U.S. has created a viable, profitable business model for budding entrepreneurs. From delivery of medical marijuana to those who cannot visit a store to recreational delivery services for people who take advantage of the health benefits of marijuana, weed delivery apps are the next great leap forward. A weed delivery app is an innovative service created by an industry that has for decades fought for the right to enjoy the benefits of cannabis. So, how does a weed delivery service app work, and what is the future of cannabis on demand?

Short History of Cannabis Legalization

The marijuana delivery app is only possible thanks to the efforts made to legalize marijuana over many years. As recently as 1970, the Federal government maintained that they had the right to criminalize cannabis, even for medical purposes. Despite this, California legalized medical cannabis in 1996 via Proposition 215.

Today, 36 states in the country have legalized medical marijuana, with half also legalizing it for recreational use. Both Colorado and Washington were the first to legalize for recreational purposes in 2012. But why are states increasingly passing laws to decriminalize and legalize marijuana? It's all due to the proven health benefits of weed, including:

  1. Treating depression
  2. Managing chronic pain
  3. Fighting insomnia
  4. Used in drug/alcohol addiction treatment
  5. Controlling nausea

With the introduction of weed delivery apps, more Americans have access to marijuana than ever before, allowing them to treat certain medical conditions without requiring health insurance or costly appointments.

What is a Weed Delivery App?

A marijuana delivery app is like DoorDash, but for weed. With smart technology, patients can order medical or recreational cannabis on-demand from their iPhones. To combat underage use or fraudulent medical marijuana cards, weed apps have an added layer of security and are capable of verifying eligibility before dispatching orders.

Business Models for Weed Delivery Apps

Several business models can be adopted when developing a weed delivery service app.

1. Delivery Model
App developers can partner with stores that handle all the deliveries and logistics while taking a commission on every successful order.

2. Store Model
Stores themselves may have a weed-selling app developed for their brand. In this case, there are no partners, and they handle everything from the processing to the logistics.

3. Aggregator Model
In this model, companies handle everything from the development of the app to monitoring both the buyer and seller. Uber is a perfect example of an aggregator business model.

The right weed delivery app model depends on the expertise of the business adopting it. As larger players take an interest in this market, the aggregator model will likely become the most prominent. Due to the relatively fragmented nature of cannabis markets in the U.S., expect to see lots of different providers in each area.

Features Included in a Cannabis Delivery App

A weed selling app must include several key features to comply with state laws, to protect the dispensary and the driver, and to make the process of purchasing weed via an app as easy and convenient as possible. Here are the must-haves in any weed delivery service app:

  1. Registration/login portal
  2. Identity verification
  3. Showcase/Search features
  4. Shopping cart
  5. Ordering and order cancellation functions
  6. Payment gateway
  7. GPS tracking for deliveries
  8. Rating system

While weed delivery apps can include lots of additional features, these are the basic ones required to create a functional app that fulfills all the expectations of the average user. More advanced apps may choose to add in biometric facial scans, fingerprint recognition, and other ID verification methods. Others may include a real-time customer service section. The weed delivery app market is a niche still finding its feet and the possibilities are endless.

Benefits of Using a Weed Delivery Service App

To understand the current landscape and what the future holds for these apps, it's important to understand why more and more people are turning to them in the first place. Marijuana delivery apps offer a customer experience that a classic dispensary simply can't bring to the table. Some of these benefits include:

1. Convenience
It's faster and easier to order online and wait for the delivery to arrive.

2. Privacy
Even in legal states, some users may want to use a medical marijuana delivery app to keep their cannabis use discrete and private.

3. Affordability
Weed delivery apps allow customers to compare prices from different dispensaries easily. Added competition inevitably leads to more affordable weed.

4. Mobility
As long as customers are within the designated delivery zone, they can have their weed delivered to them, whether at home, work, or at someone else's house.

5. Boost Sales
For the dispensaries, the introduction of the weed delivery app has allowed them to boost their sales. They have more potential customers because they're no longer limited by location and access.

The Current Landscape of On-Demand Cannabis

While the cannabis delivery app has seen enormous success in many parts of the U.S., this is a concept still in its infancy. The industry knows the demand is there due to the soaring popularity of other delivery apps like Uber and DoorDash. App development can be expensive, and many dispensaries simply have yet to explore the possibilities.

Weed delivery services are hindered by state laws, posing a problem for the continued rise of the marijuana delivery app. For example, in states like Vermont, a weed delivery app may only be used for medical marijuana deliveries. It's this legal minefield that makes marijuana delivery apps a complex and difficult topic to manage. Without either clarification or a change in the law, on-demand cannabis could remain a niche market within the legal cannabis trade.

Another issue facing the industry is insurance. Even when cannabis was legalized in many jurisdictions, insurers refused to work with any business involved in marijuana distribution. Even today, dispensaries and drivers find it a hassle to secure a comprehensive insurance policy.

The Future of Weed Delivery Apps

If the current landscape of weed apps seems so dire, then what does the future have in store? Don't fret, we have good news. The innovative approach to dispensing cannabis on-demand via delivery apps may seem niche right now, but it's widely expected that states will loosen their laws on marijuana over time. While the weed delivery app world faces many challenges, the ease and popularity of these apps can't be denied. The big change in the future will inevitably be that cannabis delivery will become more common and popular than it already is. Word has it that both Amazon and Uber are considering cannabis delivery apps.

The bad news is that when this technology does take off nationwide, smaller dispensaries are going to have to fight to get new orders. As more dispensaries decide to list themselves online or develop their own weed delivery app, it could lead to pricing wars which leads to smaller fish struggling to secure new business. Unfortunately, the expansion of weed selling apps largely lies at the feet of lawmakers at both the Federal and state levels and only time will tell what the future of this innovative technology will look like.

Conclusion

The weed delivery app has revolutionized the way medical and recreational users place and receive their orders, and is most certainly a billion-dollar business waiting to happen. If you live in California, you can start buying the highest quality strains of cannabis today with ours. All you have to do is create an account with Amuse, place your order, and we'll deliver it right to your doorstep.

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