No, Uber Isn't Delivering Weed, Although It's Taking Orders On Its App: 'Licensed Retailers Are Delivering Cannabis'

"Leafly has a platform that a whole bunch of merchants are plugged into. And Uber has the Uber Eats software app, and we built an API between them," explains Ryan MacIsaac, a lawyer from Uber Technologies Inc. UBER, highlighting a landmark partnership between Uber and Leafly Holdings Inc LFLY. This collaboration has resulted in the first instance of cannabis delivery via a major third-party delivery platform, which they discussed at the Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference in Miami Beach.

According to MacIsaac, the partnership leverages the strengths of both platforms. Uber Eats' ubiquitous ordering interface now includes an option for cannabis requests, which are processed through an API to the Leafly app, providing a seamless experience for merchants. The system is designed to spare them the hassle of managing two apps simultaneously.

In contrast to the standard Uber Eats model, "the delivery is actually completed by the store's own... employees, not the independent contractor delivery people that would do most of the meal deliveries on Uber Eats," MacIsaac notes, highlighting a significant difference in the delivery model.

Yoko Miyashita, CEO of Leafly Holdings Inc., also emphasizes this distinction: "And I think that's one of the big headline misses, right? Uber delivering cannabis. No! Licensed retailers are delivering cannabis." She clarifies that while the Uber Eats platform is facilitating the ordering process, the delivery is performed by licensed retailers' own staff, ensuring adherence to all pertinent regulations.

Aspiring to learn more about the industry? The Benzinga Cannabis Capital Conference is scheduled to return to Chicago on September 27 and 28. More information is available at bzcannabis.com