Massachusetts officials have extended the COVID-19 pandemic’s rights allowing medical cannabis patients to use video-chat appointments and curbside collection.
During the early stages of the COVID-19 epidemic in March 2020, the state Cannabis Control Commission (CCC) temporarily suspended certain in-person regulations before renewing them a year later.
When former governor Charlie Baker revoked the state’s public emergency declaration linked to the coronavirus in the spring, he also canceled curbside collection for stores selling marijuana for adults. Curbside pickups at medicinal marijuana stores, however, were maintained.
At least through the end of 2023, MMJ patients in Massachusetts will be able to take advantage of curbside pickups, and at that point, state regulators may make the change permanent.
According to MetroWest Daily News, which cited the CCC, curbside pickup is available at stores in 13 Massachusetts municipalities.
Telemedicine is being widely used by medical marijuana (MMJ) patients in Massachusetts, despite the fact that COVID-19 regulations have been relaxed and vaccines are widely available and MMJ is being treated like it was before the pandemic.
Since March 2020, MetroWest reported that more than 80% of “visits” to primary care physicians for recommendations on medical marijuana products were conducted via telehealth sessions.
A total of 96,000 patients have registered in the state of Massachusetts, says the organization.
