Some Girl Scouts Troops Can Now Use Cannabis Dispensaries To Their Advantage

Legal cannabis and girl scout cookies are an ideal match in more ways than you think. Times have progressed in the US with cannabis normalcy spreading like wildfire. In 11 states and counting, adults can legally purchase cannabis now with reletavely no stigma. While other industries learn to adjust to the growing cannabis marketplace, some seek to recognize the value in the potential.

Generations of cannabis consumers have been enjoying girl scout cookies stoned and sober. So how ideal would it be to stroll down to the closest legal cannabis dispensary and scoop up a couple of boxes of your favorite flavors on your way out? The first girl scout who reportedly found the ideal cliental was an unidentified 9-year-old, who in 2018 sold more than 300 boxes in six hours outside a cannabis dispensary in San Diego, CA.

Girl Scout Cookies, Cannabis AND Chicago

Illinois began adult recreational cannabis sales on January 1, 2020, and sold more than $19.7 million in the first 12 days. Melissa Soukoup, leader of this Illinois troop, said that many businesses were already reserved for cookie sales by competing troops and that the troop is “always looking for opportunities, [and] places that have walking traffic.” Even if you are not familiar with the difficulty of securing a solid cookie sales spot for the season, surely you have seen them outside just about every grocery store in town.

Abigail Watkins, marketing and outreach manager for Dispensary33 and former Girl Scout, said the products are a “great match” for the dispensary’s clientele. The dispensary has booked the troop to continue selling cookies throughout the rest of the month of February. According to the official website: Earning cookie pins and badges can help girls focus on developing essential skills as they participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program®. It seems inevitable that this entrepreneurial mindset would bring cookies and cannabis together in a community.

A Century Old Organization is Changing with the Times

Founded in 1912 and now in 92 countries- it seems that contemporary normalization has seeped into one of the oldest organizations. Prompted by the California Girl Scout troop, in 2018 the Girls Scouts of Colorado updated their policies to allow cookie sales at “adult-oriented businesses.” Although All proposals for sales at any site, including adult-oriented sites, must be approved by Girl Scouts of Colorado. Colorado’s state Girl Scout Cookie Locator lists sales site listings that include bars, a tattoo parlor, coffee shops, and a dispensary. Their decision to change policies is opening opportunities never conceived when I was a brownie.

Safety Over Sales

Of course, the priority in all of this is the safety of those little cookie sellers. In a statement, Girl Scouts of the USA officials indicated that decisions for cookie selling sites are made by individual Girl Scout Councils. Recognizing that local troop leaders know their community best and give them the authority to identify a safe available selling spot for their troop. “Local councils and leaders are best situated to set safety parameters in keeping with the well being of girls engaging in the cookie sale in their communities.”- Girl Scouts USA.