The city of Berkeley in California has shut down its cannabis businesses amid the coronavirus outbreak and has mandated deliveries only.
Jordan Klein, Berkeley’s economic development manager, sent out an email on Wednesday with the order.
Many marijuana dispensaries were surprised by the order and have appealed to Mayor Jesse Arreguín to intervene as this will ruin their businesses.
There is only one cannabis businesses in Berkeley that has delivery service, so the mandate means others will have to close, according to Etienne Fontan, vice-president and co-owner of Berkeley Patients Group, which has delivery service.
“Access has been shut off to thousands of people who need or want access,” said Fontan. “Patients and people have had no problems until the health department decided to arbitrarily make this decision last night.”
Dispensaries have been operating on the assumption they are classified as an essential business by California, said Lori Katz, the manager of Hi Fidelity on Telegraph Avenue.
