A state-by-state breakdown of cannabis delivery laws across the US
As of mid-2024, 14 states allowed recreational cannabis delivery and 26 states plus DC permitted medical cannabis delivery, with wide variation in regulations.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
States took markedly different approaches to cannabis delivery regulation, with some allowing only licensed dispensary delivery, others permitting caregiver delivery, and significant variation in licensing requirements.
Key Numbers
14 states authorized recreational cannabis delivery. 26 states and DC permitted medical cannabis delivery. 12 states allowed medical delivery exclusively through caregivers.
How They Did This
Comprehensive legal epidemiology review coding all state-level cannabis delivery policies as of July 1, 2024, across four regulatory categories.
Why This Research Matters
Delivery access directly affects who can obtain cannabis, particularly for medical patients with mobility limitations or those in areas without nearby dispensaries.
The Bigger Picture
As more states legalize cannabis, delivery regulation becomes a key access point that can either expand or restrict who actually benefits from legal cannabis markets.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Legal snapshot as of July 2024 only; policies change rapidly. Does not assess how well delivery laws are implemented or enforced in practice.
Questions This Raises
- ?How do different delivery models affect patient access?
- ?Do states with more permissive delivery laws see different public health outcomes?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 14 states allow recreational delivery; 26 states + DC allow medical delivery
- Evidence Grade:
- Comprehensive legal review with systematic coding, though limited to a single time point and does not assess implementation outcomes.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2025, data as of July 2024.
- Original Title:
- US State Recreational and Medical Cannabis Delivery Laws, 2024.
- Published In:
- American journal of public health, 115(2), 178-190 (2025)
- Authors:
- Ebling, Todd(2), Azagba, Sunday(2), Hall, Mark, Jensen, Jessica King
- Database ID:
- RTHC-06387
Evidence Hierarchy
Summarizes existing research on a topic.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
How many states allow cannabis delivery?
As of July 2024, 14 states allowed recreational delivery and 26 states plus DC permitted medical cannabis delivery to patients.
Can caregivers deliver medical cannabis?
In 12 states, medical cannabis delivery is permitted exclusively through registered caregivers rather than commercial delivery services.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-06387APA
Ebling, Todd; Azagba, Sunday; Hall, Mark; Jensen, Jessica King. (2025). US State Recreational and Medical Cannabis Delivery Laws, 2024.. American journal of public health, 115(2), 178-190. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307874
MLA
Ebling, Todd, et al. "US State Recreational and Medical Cannabis Delivery Laws, 2024.." American journal of public health, 2025. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2024.307874
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "US State Recreational and Medical Cannabis Delivery Laws, 20..." RTHC-06387. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/ebling-2025-us-state-recreational-and
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.