California Bans Drone Weed Delivery Ahead Of 2018 Legalization
Source - When retail outlets in California finally get permission to start selling recreational marijuana at the start of 2018, thanks to a vote last year, there’s one notable way they won’t be able to deliver the drug—by drone.
This became clear in regulations issued last week by the state’s Bureau of Cannabis Control. As first spotted by Ars Technica, deliveries will be possible, but under tight conditions.
Specifically, it will only be able to deliver pot in “in person by enclosed motor vehicle.” That doesn’t just nix drone deliveries of weed, of course—it also means self-driving cars can’t be used for that purpose either.
The Californian rules say marijuana deliveries must be made to physical addresses and are banned from public lands or “buildings leased by public agencies.”
Good on California. If you want to get rid of toll takers and warehouse workers, fine. But you can’t get rid of pot dealers. Not after it’s legal. That’s cruel and unusual punishment. There’s a certain je ne sa quoi about pot dealers that can’t be replicated via robot. You text him “yo” on Tuesday. He replies with “sup dude, was just finishing my cereal” on Wednesday afternoon. You arrange a time to meet and he blows you off. The following morning you wake up to a text “my bad, got caught up with my girl.” He finally makes it to your apartment and it’s not even him. The dispatcher sent a new guy with beaded hair and a shark tooth necklace. A style you haven’t seen since you were on vacation in Virginia Beach with your twelve-year-old sister. But he’s nice enough and smiling so you sit down. He opens his lockbox and begins to describe the different strains of marijuana. “This one is chill but it will make you wanna do stuff.” You both know it’s bullshit but you go through the motions so no one gets spooked. Money is exchanged and he’s gone as quick as he came. You don’t get that with a robot.
To be honest I thought marijuana was already legal in California. It’s kind of what they’re known for. That and droughts. It’ll be interesting to see how other states handle delivery. Massachusetts is set for legalization in January 2018, I can’t imagine drones would be their go to. They’re barely allowed to deliver packages no way they’ll get cleared for drugs. At any rate it’s good to see California is keeping the AI community at bay. Better late than never.