There is another milestone in the cannabis legalization process. As of this week, Green Coach Delivery became the first licensed cannabis delivery company in the state to bring prescribed products to the homes of medical patients.
“We get to make a lot of people's lives easier,” Jack Cochran, Green Coach Delivery owner, said. “They're not going to have to rely on a neighbor or friend to pick them up. They won't have to wait in line.”
The startup, owned by former high school football coach Jack Cochran, partners with the dispensary Fine Fettle.
“For medical folks, I think this is something that they've been waiting for a long time,” Dennis So, general manager of the Fine Fettle Newington location, said.
Get Connecticut local news, weather forecasts and entertainment stories to your inbox. Sign up for NBC Connecticut newsletters.
Green Coach made the first adult-use deliveries out of Fine Fettle’s Manchester location back in June. Now, medical deliveries are starting out of the Newington store.
After online orders opened on Fine Fettle’s website Wednesday night, more than 20 verified medical patients placed orders.
“Transportation can be tough for some folks,” So said. “We are dealing with medical patients that sometimes may have some debilitating conditions that make it hard for them to leave their homes. Being able to bring the cannabis products directly to their home is a lifesaver for some.”
Local
On Thursday, Cochran and two other Green Coach drivers were making those first medical deliveries.
Cochran explained that when a Green Coach driver is making a delivery, they are constantly checking in with the team, calling in safety checks. Someone is also monitoring the delivery vehicle’s movement through a GPS tracking system.
He said Green Coach prioritizes security and discretion for patients.
“We're in an ordinary car. Nobody really knows what we're delivering,” Cochran said.
Right now, the three Green Coach drivers, including Cochran, are making medical deliveries in 13 cities and towns in the Greater Hartford area. That will expand on July 27, when the startup teams up with Fine Fettle in Willimantic.
Cochran hopes the new service will give some patients budding hope.
“People who have epilepsy that need this cannabis for their seizures, people who use it to treat pain relief, anxiety. Cancer patients,” Cochran said. “They want to be where they feel safe, where they feel comfortable. And we can get it right to their doorstep now.”
As a social equity company, Green Coach plans to give back to areas impacted by the war on drugs by hiring drivers from those areas and also starting youth programs.
