Uber’s CEO Dara Khosrowshahi revealed in a recent CNBC interview that the company is considering expanding into the cannabis delivery service industry.
According to Khosrowshahi, Uber could include cannabis as part of UberEats, which already delivers food and alcohol.
While cannabis is still illegal at a federal level in the US, public opinion on pot is quickly changing. According to a poll of 1,429 Americans, 61% of the population think cannabis legalisation is a “good idea”. Another poll of 1,882 registered voters had similar results, finding that 75% of voters either want cannabis legalised by the federal government or believe the federal government should let states decide themselves.
The recreational use of cannabis has now been legalised in 16 states and the District of Columbia. The most recent legislation was New York, whose legalisation bill was passed on March 31st.
Although cannabis delivery services are not always included in legislation bills, they are currently legal in New York, California, Nevada, and Oregon for citizens aged 21+. If cannabis were legalised at a federal level, cannabis delivery services could be permitted in all states.
According to Khosrowshahi, Uber will wait until cannabis is legal before exploring the possibility of their own cannabis delivery service.
When the road is clear for cannabis, when federal laws come into play, we’re absolutely going to take a look at it.
In the meantime, Uber will continue to focus on “the opportunity at hand” as the demand for its services grows.
Khosrowshahi’s pro-cannabis delivery services interview was part of CNBC’s ‘TechCheck’ segment on Monday night, which you can view above.