HealthIndustry

David Downs and Max Savage LevensonMay 1, 2020

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Rules change daily. Some stores are closed, others are open for pickup, and some can now deliver. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)

This story was updated at 8am PST on May 1. 

Is my cannabis dispensary still open?

In the season of COVID-19, that question just got a lot more complicated. Cities, counties, and states across the US began issuing stay-at-home orders this week for all but essential commerce and travel.

Is weed essential? You bet your bong it is. For many folks it’s medical. Online ordering, Leafly Pickup, and delivery services can really shine in the coming weeks. Restrictions will vary from place to place, and over time, depending on local conditions.

We’re tracking where the weed stores are open in major legal markets. If you have news to add, share it with us in the comments below.

Note: For Canada, the Leafly.ca team is tracking similar retail developments here. To find delivery options near you, try Leafly’s Canadian cannabis delivery finder.

Are medical dispensaries still open in Arkansas?

Medical cannabis dispensaries are open.

As confirmed by the state’s Department of Health, dispensaries are remaining open for the time being. In fact, business is booming.

Order legal, tested Arkansas medical cannabis on Leafly today

Are medical dispensaries still open in Arizona?

Arizona cannabis stores are open, according to the latest guidance from the Arizona Department of health.
Nick Meyers at Phoenix New Times noted these changes on March 20:

Many dispensaries also have changed their hours, opening late, closing early or both. Some, like TruMed in Phoenix, have transitioned to fulfilling online orders only, while others still allow to-go orders if patients know what they want. Downtown Dispensary in Tucson has installed special air filters to ensure a sterile environment.

Order legal tested Arizona cannabis for pickup on Leafly

Are cannabis dispensaries open in California?

Statewide

In general, cannabis stores remain open in California. There are county-by-county and city-by-city exceptions, which we’ll continue to track and update. Since March 19, California is under a statewide stay at home order, but officials have deemed cannabis “essential.” Cannabis stores and farms may remain open, subject to county rules.

San Francisco County

Cannabis stores are open at this time.

By order of San Francisco County and the greater six-county Bay Area, a Shelter in Place order took effect midnight March 17. This order is enacted through April 7. San Francisco County considers cannabis “essential” at this time. Lounges are closed. Physical distancing required. Pre-orders online encouraged. Delivery services report being open. Curbside pickup banned.

Cannabis is an essential medicine for many San Francisco residents. Dispensaries can continue to operate as essential businesses during this time, while practicing social distancing and other public health recommendations.

— SFDPH (@SF_DPH) March 17, 2020

Alameda County

Some cannabis stores may be open at this time.

By order of San Francisco County and the greater six-county Bay Area, a Shelter in Place order took effect midnight March 17. Cannabis businesses are reportedly exempt from the order in Alameda County at this time. The Bureau of Cannabis Control is reportedly allowing curbside pickup. This order is enacted through April 7. The city of Berkeley has banned in-store purchases. Curbside pickup and deliveries only.

Los Angeles County

Cannabis stores are open at this time.

Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a statewide shelter in place order March 19. In the city of Los Angeles, cannabis businesses are deemed essential, and exempt from the order. Los Angeles stores are adding delivery fulfillment and curbside pickup.

Marin County

Cannabis stores are operational at this time.

Marin County joined the Bay Area’s March 17 shelter in place order, and also deemed cannabis “essential” alongside other medications and consumer products.

San Diego County

Cannabis stores are open at this time.

By order of San Diego County, retail stores remain open at this time. San Diego has also added curbside pickup.

Sacramento County

Cannabis stores are open at this time.

Sacramento County public health has no direct closure orders at this time. The county is following state orders to half occupancy and enact social distancing.

Santa Clara County

Medical cannabis stores are open at this time. Adult-use in-store access and curbside pickup banned as of April 3—delivery-only.

By order of San Francisco County and the greater six-county Bay Area, a Shelter in Place order took effect midnight March 17. Order ahead online. Delivery is seeing extremely high volume.

Santa Cruz County

Cannabis stores are operational at this time.

Santa Cruz County joined the Bay Area’s March 17 shelter in place order, but deemed cannabis “essential” alongside other medications and consumer products. Delivery available. KindPeoples is conducting “storefront service” where you order online, pull up in a car in their parking lot, and they walk your order out to you. Stores must follow strict sanitation protocols.

Looking for cannabis pickup or delivery? Leafly has all your local menus

Are cannabis dispensaries open in Colorado?

Medical and adult-use dispensaries should be open.

Medical stores may allow walk-ins. Adult-use stores can also allow walk-ins—as well as curbside pickup—according to a March 31 rule. Stores are asking customers to order online, which you can do with Leafly Finder and Pickup. Two Colorado towns have permitted deliveries.

Are cannabis dispensaries open in Connecticut?

They should be. Gov. Ned Lamont’s March 20 Stay at Home order directs non-essential businesses to suspend operations as of 8 p.m., Monday, March 23.

As of Sunday morning, March 22, the state was using the broad definitions of “essential” businesses maintained by the federal government, which includes healthcare. That should mean medical marijuana dispensaries remain open, albeit under social distancing guidelines.

Are medical dispensaries still open in Delaware?

Yes, and they now deliver.

Order legal, tested Delaware medical cannabis on Leafly today

Are medical dispensaries still open in Florida?

Medical dispensaries are open at this time. The state health department is now allowing existing Florida medical marijuana patients to re-certify their recommendations without having to physically see the doctor. It can be done via telemedicine. (Existing patients only, for the time being. May open to new patients soon.)

Miami-Dade County only

Carlos A. Gimenez, mayor of Miami-Dade County, is expected to issue a comprehensive executive order that, among other things, will restrict or close non-essential retail, private educational facilities, casinos and other recreational and entertainment activities. In other states and cities, medical marijuana dispensaries have been labeled as “essential” and not subject to the closure order. Stay tuned.

Are medical dispensaries still open in Hawaii?

Medical cannabis dispensaries are open.

Are cannabis dispensaries open in Illinois?

Cannabis stores are open at this time.

Illinois Gov. Pritzker’s March 16 order closes bars and restricts restaurants to take-out. It does not appear to apply to cannabis businesses at this time.  That being said, some stores are taking precautions on their own, including limiting sales to medical patients only.

Update: On March 17, Illinois announced it would allow curbside ordering (but only for medical sales, not recreational) in all licensed stores and dispensaries. So you remain in your car, and a budtender will come take your order at a safe distance.

Are medical dispensaries still open in Louisiana?

Medical cannabis dispensaries are open.

According to the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy, dispensaries are open for the time being; the state has limited restaurants and bars to take out service only for at least a month.

Are medical dispensaries still open in Maine?

Medical cannabis dispensaries are open.

While various cities have enacted curfews for restaurants and bars, dispensaries are open for the time being. Maine regulators deemed medical cannabis essential.

Are medical dispensaries still open in Maryland?

Medical cannabis dispensaries are open.

Many dispensaries have modified their operational policies and procedures to keep patients and staff members safe. Health for Life Maryland offers pickup and has established a drive-through window at its Baltimore location.

March 18 update: The Maryland Medical Cannabis Commission has issued a bulletin instructing dispensaries on social distancing policies. Included: No sniff jars, no deli-style sales, constant cleaning and disinfecting, and 6-foot distance keeping.

March 24 update: Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan has ordered the closure of all non-essential businesses in the state. Medical marijuana growers, processors, and dispensaries are officially considered essential healthcare businesses, and may remain open while maintaining strict social distancing protocols.

Order legal, tested Maryland medical cannabis on Leafly today

Are cannabis dispensaries open in Massachusetts?

Medical cannabis sales only. Adult-use sales banned, at this time. You must have a Massachusetts medical card to purchase.

Earlier this month, some stores had already been embracing measures like online ordering only, and limiting sales to medical patients only. The CCC has also given delivery services the green-light to relax their geographical radius and travel further.

Are cannabis dispensaries open in Michigan?

Cannabis stores are open—and they can now all deliver.

Michigan’s emergency March 16 order allows all licensed cannabis stores and medical dispensaries to deliver during this time. The state is encouraging consumers to use pickup or delivery service, and not congregate in stores. Michigan is also temporarily allowing curbside pickup, allowing customers to complete and order including payment via the internet or place an order once parked at the facility.

More from the MRA:

The Marijuana Regulatory Agency has created two bulletins to provide guidance in the event the statewide monitoring system (METRC) experiences any system outage issues. One bulletin addresses expectations if licensees are unable to verify the patient status through the “Patient Status Lookup” and can be found here. The other bulletin addresses expectations if there is a system-wide outage that prevents any record keeping within METRC and can be found here. These bulletins are informational only at this time, and will be used as reference documents in the event one of these types of outages occur. The MRA will issue notifications when licenses should adhere to the instructions found in these bulletins. At this time METRC is functioning within its normal capacity.

Are medical cannabis dispensaries open in Missouri?

Yes, regulators deemed them essential, at this time.

Are dispensaries open in Nevada right now?

Yes.

Recreational and medical cannabis remains available by delivery or curbside pickup as of May 1.

Need cannabis delivery in Nevada? Use Leafly Finder

Are medical dispensaries still open in New Hampshire?

Yes, and they have added delivery and curbside pickup.

Are medical dispensaries still open in New Jersey?

Medical cannabis dispensaries are open. They have been declared “essential businesses,” and have not been ordered to close.

Although New Jersey’s restaurants and bars are closed outside of take-out services, dispensaries remain open. Some are taking precautions including limiting purchases and having patients wait in their cars before being served.

March 24 update: Curbside pickup is now available to all patients. NJ.com reports:

Dispensaries can now offer curbside pickup to patients, ridding them of the need to enter the storefronts or stand in lines. Patients can also now register caregivers, or designated people to pick up their medicine at the reduced fee of $20 previously offered to some low-income patients.

The regulatory reforms will remain in place as long as the executive order declaring a public health emergency around COVID-19 does. While the state has taken additional steps to restrict businesses and travel, medical marijuana dispensaries are considered essential and may remain open.

Are medical dispensaries still open in New Mexico?

Yes, medical cannabis dispensaries were deemed essential March 25.

Are medical dispensaries still open in New York?

Medical cannabis dispensaries are open.

Are medical dispensaries still open in Ohio?

Medical cannabis dispensaries are open, and offering curbside pickup.

Although many businesses in the state have been shut down, Ohio regulators are treating medical marijuana dispensaries the same as pharmacies, so they remain open.

Are cannabis dispensaries open in Oregon?

Cannabis stores remain open.

The Governor’s March 16 order allows them to stay open if they physically distance customers, or use take-out and delivery.

March 24 update: Gov. Kate Brown has issued an order closing non-essential businesses, prohibiting public gatherings, and directing people to stay at home.

Cannabis stores are considered “essential” businesses, and may remain open. The OLCC has posted this FAQ page on COVID-19 policies. KPTV-12 has more info:

The Oregon Liquor Control Commission temporarily approved a rule to allow marijuana dispensaries to conduct transactions outside “within 150 feet outside of their store.”

The OLCC approved the temporary measure on Sunday to promote social distancing in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic. This temporary measure aligns with the governor’s executive order and helps businesses to remain open.

Order legal, tested Oregon marijuana on Leafly today

Are medical dispensaries still open in Oklahoma?

Yes. Regulators consider dispensaries essential business. No deliveries. But lawmakers approved curbside pickup March 30.

Are medical dispensaries still open in Pennsylvania?

Medical cannabis dispensaries are open.

In Pennsylvania, dispensaries are considered “essential” businesses and are thus remaining open. In a curious move, at least one dispensary is enlisting volunteers to serve as state-sanctioned caregivers and transport cannabis to the homes of up to five patients.

Update, March 20: The Philadelphia Inquirer reports:

Alternatively, approved caregivers now may deliver medical marijuana to an unlimited number of patients.

Are medical dispensaries open in Rhode Island?

Medical cannabis dispensaries are open.

Are cannabis stores open in Washington state?

Cannabis stores are open, with restrictions.

Gov. Jay Inslee issued a stay-at-home order to Washington residents on Monday night, March 23. Residents can leave to buy groceries, seek medical care and go to work at essential businesses. They can also engage in outdoor activities that can be done 6 feet away from others, such as walking and biking.

The new order requires the closure of nonessential business places. Cannabis retailers are included among the few “essential” businesses that may remain open. Here is the latest guidance from the state Liquor and Cannabis Board, circulated on March 24:

Curbside service allowed for all customers: At this time, cannabis producers, processors and retailers are considered essential and not required to close due to the coronavirus restrictions. However, to promote social distancing, the LCB is temporarily expanding curbside sales beyond qualified medical patients to allow sales to all adult customers as long as certain restrictions are in place. This is an option in addition to mandatory measures for retail establishments set forth by Gov. Inslee and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Order legal, tested Washington weed on Leafly today

Restrictions:

• Drive-thru windows are not allowed
• IDs must be checked. No one in the car may be less than 21 years of age
• Curbside sales areas must be stationary and physically designated on the leasehold property, preferably as close to the building as possible. Examples of physical designations for curbside service include:
  • Tape or painted parking spots for vehicle parking
  • Cones or signage for vehicle parking
• Where possible, video cameras should be monitoring and recording the designated sales area
• Outdoor sales from a tent or kiosk are not allowed.

Have a Heart is offering 10% off online orders to encourage preordering and limiting the number of customers in the store at any one time. The Reef is also limiting customer numbers and encouraging the use of preorders.

Uncle Ike’s is operating a special “Safe Shopping” hour every Sunday from 8am to 9am, for consumers who are 65+ or immuno-compromised.

Use online ordering, including Leafly Pickup.

Are medical dispensaries open in Washington DC?

Yes, regulators deem them essential. DC is adding delivery, as well.

David Downs and Max Savage Levenson

David Downs directs news and lifestyle coverage as the California Bureau Chief for Leafly.com. He’s written for WIRED, Rolling Stone and Billboard, and is the former cannabis editor of the San Francisco Chronicle, as well as the author of several cannabis books including ‘Marijuana Harvest’ by Ed Rosenthal and David Downs. He co-hosts The Hash podcast. TW: @davidrdowns | IG @daviddowns

Max Savage Levenson likely has the lowest cannabis tolerance of any writer on the cannabis beat. He also writes about music for Pitchfork, Bandcamp and other bespectacled folk. He co-hosts The Hash podcast. His dream interview is Tyler the Creator.