Medical marijuana patients get home delivery

Medical marijuana patients in Delaware now have the ability to get their medicine without leaving home. Columbia Care began home delivery April 6.

George DeNardo, Columbia Care vice president of Mid-Atlantic operations, said the company worked with Delaware Department of Health over the past week to set up safety protocols as well as the infrastructure to support home delivery.

“We had a successful first week in helping many quarantined and homebound patients in receiving the product that they needed in an efficient manner,” said DeNardo, in an email April 13. “We have received dozens of calls from patients, after the announcement, and we are prepared to support the patients of Delaware with this new service.”

The new service comes shortly after Sussex County’s two dispensaries – Columbia Care and First State Compassion Center – both said the medicine supply was stable.

According to Columbia Care’s website, to qualify for delivery, a person must be a Delaware medical marijuana card holder, have previously registered with Columbia Care and live within a 30-mile radius of a selected dispensary. Columbia Care has a dispensary in each county – 36725 Bayside Outlet Dr. #760, Rehoboth Beach; 200 S. Dupont Blvd., Smyrna; and 5606 Concord Pike, Wilmington.

Each location has specific days of delivery – Fridays, from Rehoboth; Wednesdays and Thursdays, from Smyrna; Mondays and Tuesdays, from Wilmington. Orders must be placed by 4 p.m. the day before to get a delivery on the scheduled delivery day. If a cardholder is unable to meet the deadline, Columbia Care said it will make its best efforts to accommodate the request.

There is a $10 fee per delivery, which are all cash-on-delivery payments. To schedule a delivery, use the online order menu for the closest location and select home delivery.

According to the company’s website, completion of the online delivery order form does not guarantee a delivery. Pharmacy staff will verify all delivery requests and reach out to confirm all delivery orders, says the website.

DeNardo said new patients can contact the dispensary to have a new-patient package emailed. Once the package is returned, the patient can order online, he said.

For more information, go to www.col-care.com.