North Carolina Senate Passes Extensive Medical Cannabis Bill
by Bethan Rose
Residents in Utah don’t have to pay for cannabis using cash only anymore. Now they can pay using an app to purchase medical cannabis in the state. If you live in The Beehive State, get ready to get hyped up about Hypur. Hypur has met the approval of state financial regulators for cannabis transactions and is ready to do business in Utah.
Utah residents can now use Hypur at one of three locations in the state. Hypur, per their website, states that it “provides payment and banking technology for high-risk markets, including MSBs and cannabis-related businesses.”
This is great news for cannabis businesses and customers. This service benefits cannabis businesses by offering a safer option for payment than carrying cash for your medicine. This will undoubtedly help attract customers vs. a cash-only dispensary. Hypur is an app that works remarkably similar to Venmo. Customers download the free app, and it moves money from their bank account directly to the cannabis dispensary the purchase is being made at. The patient avoids ATM fees and the unnecessary risk of carrying cash on them when it can be avoided.
With contactless pickup and delivery becoming more popular as many people practice social distancing, the option to buy medical cannabis using an app seems like a very sensible approach to conducting safer business. Customers don’t get any fees, but the dispensaries that accept Hypur do.
According to the Utah state website, “Patients may use letters from their providers to purchase medical cannabis from a medical cannabis pharmacy until December 31, 2020.” This comes as a result of the passing of House Bill 425. Patients who obtain a doctor’s medical cannabis recommendation are allowed to purchase cannabis from a licensed cannabis dispensary until 12/31/2020. Effective starting 01/01/2021, medical cannabis patients in Utah will have to have a state-issued medical marijuana card.
Utah has a list of qualifying conditions allowing for most anyone with a medical problem to have legal access to medical cannabis. It is excellent when states acknowledge the will of the people and pass laws like House Bill 425. Cannabis dispensaries in Utah are taking a step to further protect the medical cannabis community that many other states overlook.
By not having to carry cash to purchase your medicine, you, in essence, take the target off of patients. Medical cannabis patients almost always have to buy their meds using cash. For the criminal element, this makes them a solid target for a quick cash payday. If you allow patients to pay using a debit card rather than cash, you remove the temptation of wrongdoings.
To add an extra option for medical cannabis patients, the state is one of the few that also allows for home delivery of medical cannabis. This is a staple of patient care that should be followed by every state. Most people who have medical cannabis cards are able to get out to get their meds, but not all of them are. Instead of having to rely on alternative ways to get their meds, patients with medical conditions, or who have situations that prevent them from getting to the dispensary in person can opt for home delivery.
Thanks to options such as legal access to medical cannabis, home delivery of medical cannabis, and debit card payments, life in Utah is truly becoming elevated. We hope that in the months and years to come that every patient that can benefit from cannabis has safe and legal access. We also hope that more states follow the lead of Utah and provide cashless payment options to help further protect patients and businesses within this burgeoning sector.
Hopes are high that our representatives will soon make a vote on the M.O.R.E. Act which could drastically change the landscape for the better within this industry, community, and culture. The draconian ways of the past are coming to an end and thanks to technology such as Hypur the future is looking very elevated for cannabis patients, consumers, and business owners alike!
Lastly, don’t forget that Veriheal makes the process of obtaining a Utah medical marijuana card easy and streamlined. Sign up today to meet with a doctor on our platform to get approved quickly and securely.
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