PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Oregonians are allowed to have marijuana delivered to their homes but their neighbors in Washington don’t have access to the same service.
Last week, KOIN 6 News created a list of marijuana dispensaries that deliver in the Portland area but could not find dispensaries in Southwest Washington to include for coverage.
Brian Smith, a spokesperson for the Washington State Liquor and Cannabis Board, said it’s illegal for dispensaries in Washington to do so under initiative 502, which established the framework for Washington’s system in 2012 and prohibited delivery.
“Since then, there’s been a lot of discussion about whether the law should be changed over time,” said Smith. “In the roughly 10 years that we’ve had a system that has come to fruition, there’s not really been any interest in the legislature or any appetite to go forward to make that happen.”
However, the coronavirus pandemic did change some marijuana services in Washington. Smith said that cannabis sales skyrocketed, and dispensaries could offer curbside pick-up or walk-up windows.
What about Oregon?
Marijuana delivery became a part of the Oregon recreational marijuana system in 2016, which was included in the initial ballot measure known as Measure 91, according to the Oregon Liquor Control Commission.
Oregon marijuana dispensaries are also allowed to have pick-up or walk-up windows.
Despite not having marijuana delivery in Washington, Smith said WSLC expanded its system by allowing to-go drinks from restaurants and bars due to COVID-19.
“On the alcohol side of things, we brought forward legislation so we could change the law. The legislature allowed some of the allowances that we put in place for alcohol to continue until 2023,” he explained.
Cannabis will continue curbside in Washington until June 1, 2022, which is when the board will decide to keep or stop those services.