Portland, OR – Just about anything can be delivered to your doorstep these days.
If Koushi Sunder has a say in the matter, cannabis will soon be the next big thing.
"Our target customers is generally someone who is busy," said Sunder.
Right now, Sunder, a Dartmouth business school grad, is just training and preparing her employees for the delivery service.
"It’s really exciting to be part of this, driver Josiah Westfall said. In college I sold cannabis and you were everyone’s best friend, in this case, that’s going to be the same thing."
It’s not legal to deliver recreational marijuana within the city of Portland yet, though the state has ruled otherwise.
"On a state-wide level the OLCC has approved delivery, the actual code is ORS- 8450252880," Sunder explained. "I know, I say this a lot, so I feel like it’s a phone number I memorized."
The way the law stands now, it’s up to each city in the state of Oregon to decide if they’ll allow recreational marijuana to be delivered. Medical marijuana is currently allowed to be delivered.
Sunder is doing all that she can to convince the Marijuana Policy Oversight Team, or MPOT, that her business Stemless is one that would work in Portland.
"Obviously we would conform to rec laws and we won’t sell you something a dispensary cant, Sunder said. Its very similar to pizza delivery."
"Once you register and sign up with us and you can click to see the participating dispensaries near you, she continued. Once you pick a dispensary you can add products to your cart. It’s all secure it’s all very safe."
For those asking how underage buyers will be restricted from these online sales, Sunder noted there is already a system in place to address the concern.
"Right now people upload their ID’s to system and they cannot place an order until their ID is uploaded," she added.
After that, Sunder says a driver like Westfall would pick up marijuana from that dispensary and deliver it.
Customers will get a text on their phone telling them their order is on its way and they’ll even be able to track that driver’s progress.
"We can’t promise you know we’ll be there in 10 minutes, you know its Portland and there’s a lot of traffic rush hour we all know all know this," Sunder said.
Sunder says her drivers are all well trained when it comes to safety and are taught to check for ID again at the door.
"The app has them take photo of the ID again that we store in our database to show that when we presented the person with their purchase they did have valid ID and they do have to sign for it," she said
"I’m looking forward to their smiling faces and coming to their door with a bag of cannabis," Westfall added.
As of now, the city is considering legalizing delivery but hasn’t officially decided just yet.
MPOT officials told FOX 12 they will eventually make their recommendation to Portland’s city council, who will then vote on the issue. Neither side wanted to comment until then.
"We have every incentive to do it as safely as possible, Sunder said. That reflects on the industry in a positive way. We want other states to do this."
In the meantime, Stemless allows people to buy cannabis from dispensaries online and pick up a to-go order. Sunder’s hoping one day soon they’ll get the green light to deliver.
"Word on the street is we can expect January," she said.
There are other businesses in town that say they too are trying to offer cannabis delivery as a service.
Workers from Celebrity Schleppers told FOX 12 they actively offer beer and wine deliveries and are currently interviewing retail Cannabis outlets to choose four to six geographically well-placed stores to help them provide pot delivery service if the city decides to approve it.
News Moderator: Katelyn Baker
Full Article: Entrepreneur Trying To Bring Pot Delivery To Portland
Author: Kaitlyn Bolduc
Contact: 503-906-1249
Photo Credit: KPTV
Website: Fox 12 Oregon
