Cannabis delivery is on its way to Aurora, CO.
The Aurora City Council first considered an ordinance permitting marijuana delivery back in mid-November, and on Tuesday, December 8th, the council voted 8-2 to move forward with the proposal.
The ordinance would permit licensed businesses to deliver recreational pot products to residential addresses in Aurora – as well as surrounding municipalities allowing marijuana delivery. However, deliveries would only be allowed between the hours of 8 a.m. and 10 p.m., and daily purchasing limits are capped at one ounce of marijuana, 800 milligram THC edibles, and 8 grams of concentrate.
How Was Marijuana Delivery Approved in Aurora, Colorado?
The proposal, which will be brought to a second vote on December 21st, comes following a bill passed by Colorado legislature back in 2019, allowing local governments in the state to decide if they want to opt in to marijuana delivery. While Boulder, Superior and Longmouth have all since opted into the plan, they’ve only approved the delivery of medical marijuana products thus far.
Aurora’s move to approve recreational cannabis delivery comes alongside a similar push by its neighbor Denver. The Denver Excise and Licensing Department confirmed that a draft proposal and several other changes regarding cannabis delivery have been sent to Denver City Council Members.
What are the Requirements to Obtain a Weed Delivery License in Aurora?
All proposed plans require businesses to obtain special licenses for recreational weed delivery, and there will be an emphasis on social equity in deciding the license applicants. Social justice advocate and executive director of The Color of Cannabis, Sarah Woodson explained that, “this is about people getting more opportunity, specifically people who have been negatively affected by cannabis prohibition”.
To provide those opportunities, marijuana delivery licenses will primarily be available to people who have been negatively impacted by marijuana charges, arrests, or investigations, in addition to people living in low income households and economically-distressed communities.
While Denver’s proposed bills would allow the issuing of licenses to begin on July 1st of next year, if the Aurora City Council passes the ordinance later this month, recreational marijuana delivery could begin in Aurora as early as January. But according to many advocates of the cause, even then it will be long overdue.
Aurora Councilwoman Alison Coombs insisted, “delivery is needed particularly because of the pandemic. Folks are having to stay safely in their homes”, and that sentiment has been echoed across several organized campaigns.
What is Next for Cannabis Delivery in Colorado?
A Colorado-based campaign dubbed ‘Cannabis Against COVID’ is working to speed up the spread of cannabis delivery while slowing down the spread of coronavirus. They believe that prioritizing the rollout of marijuana delivery while implementing an additional surcharge to go toward COVID-19 relief and research funds is the best way to tackle the scenario. Cannabis Against COVID founder Dave Sheldon stated, “legalizing cannabis delivery has incredible potential to combat this pandemic in a real and direct way, overnight. Think about the support that this money could help provide for the front line medical workers”.
While such a surcharge hasn’t been included in proposed ordinances thus far, there’s one thing that’s for sure: Marijuana delivery isn’t far away for the residents of Aurora, Colorado.
Additional Resources:
At The Weed Blog, we strive to produce the latest online news resources regarding marijuana. We also review various strains of cannabis or other edible counterparts. We are committed to helping you find valuable information about marijuana on our website. With marijuana laws constantly changing, learn from us what you can do to promote activism in your area. Otherwise, consider these other top-tier articles regarding cannabis:
So You Want to Sell Weed Legally? A Complete Guide to Navigating Laws & Starting a Business
How to Get a Medical Marijuana Card Renewal Online in Colorado
