Understand the Gray Areas Associated With Cannabis And E-Commerce

Cannabis sector has moved to the internet but there is plenty of gray areas connected with cannabis and ecommerce. Marijuana e-commerce business makes it comfortable for weed lovers to choose from wide varieties, compare prices and order medical or recreational marijuana from their home. Even dispensaries find it easy to purchase necessary products for resale.

Currently, the herb is legal in several states but the laws related to its purchase and use differs, so an e-commerce venture is hard to gauge. No one desires to start an e-commerce site targeting just Columbia or Chicago. Until now, eight states have legalized weeds for recreational use. It is expected that this year couple of more states will join the legal marijuana category. Majority of states approve medical marijuana but under specific circumstances.

People residing in prohibited areas search on the internet for online weed shops, browse products and even set accounts. However, when the time comes to order cannabis and get it delivered at their door step, they discover that this is still not possible. Even if they reside in a legal state, they will need to prove that they are of age to buy weeds online.

No credit card payments – only cash payments – Why?

By 2021, legal cannabis sales will touch $20.8 billion in the US. This economic impact will open 414,000 jobs as well as $4 billion and more in tax receipts. Nevertheless, the present situation is that customers pay cash for marijuana in person and not via credit card on the internet.

E-commerce is not just stalled due to complex regulations in different states but also because many marijuana retailers accept only cash payments.

Majority of federally insured banks, want to stay away from the jeopardy of legal afflictions from the Government of United States, which regulates banking sector. Under federal law cannabis is still illegal because it is considered as Schedule I drug.

Age verification is hard

So, the prohibition standards are not pulled out but some online weed retailers deliver orders to any state in the US [legal or not]. The question that arises here is will they do it without the customers age verification?

As online weed retailers are breaking laws by delivering outside their legal jurisdiction. In addition, they are using the US Postal Service to deliver the marijuana order across state borders. Now, anyone including young teenagers can look for weeds on their smartphone and buy. It does not matter if they live in a state where marijuana is illegal or legal. Weeds get in their hands, which is not what cannabis promoters assured would transpire post legalization.

Weed mail delivery is illegal

Mail delivery of weed is regarded as drug trafficking according to the federal government. Therefore, legal cannabis dispensaries don’t desire to participate in this practice. Even legal states don’t deliver marijuana through mail. There are cannabis delivery services accessible but transactions are via internal or private couriers.

Until, there is payment solution there will be ‘near e-commerce’ norm even though you can gain benefits over the offline dispensaries like wider selection, online price comparison, order online in advance for fast pickup from the brick & mortar dispensary. Medical marijuana patients can connect with dispensaries and their physicians online to assess their prescription. Products are ordered online and payments made when they get delivered.

Technology is moving forward to change cannabis sector in many ways, just wait and watch because the modification is for good!