San Jose Residents Strongly Favor Home Delivery of Medical Marijuana, Poll Shows

A recently released poll shows widespread public support among residents of San Jose, California, in favor of patient access to medical marijuana delivered to their homes — 63% in favor, in fact — as the City Council prepares to begin considering new regulations for businesses working in this area.

Medical marijuana is increasingly being regarded as a treatment for people with a variety of chronic diseases, from cancer to lupus.

The poll was commissioned by Eaze, the leading medical marijuana technology company, and conducted via phone from March 10 to 14. The poll included 500 city residents who are registered to vote in the November U.S. presidential election.

“Voters clearly desire safe, regulated access to medical marijuana delivery in San Jose,” Keith McCarthy, chief executive officer of Eaze, said in a press release. “We are encouraged that the San Jose City Council, City Manager, and San Jose Police Department have spent substantial time doing due diligence into the safest delivery model for patients. … [W]e understand how technology can help cities manage collective deliveries safely while effectively reducing illegal marijuana activity.”

Key poll findings included:

• San Jose residents showed concerns regarding illegal activities if delivery remains banned – 53% of respondents think that if organized delivery isn’t available, people will use illegal and unsafe methods to obtain their marijuana.
• Around 65%% of the residents trust technology to create safeguards – technology platforms that manage patient identification, for instance, or transport of shipments under lock and key, and the use of GPS tracking, driver background checks, and valid licenses that can make the delivery a safer process.
• Most residents believe patients have the right to access the medical marijuana treatments recommended by their doctors – 91% of those polled agree with this point.
• Residents support medical marijuana being available for delivery just like any other prescription drug – 69% support delivery because many patients don’t have access to transportation, and delivery could help them better manage a chronic condition.

With the poll’s findings, San Jose residents join those in other California cities voicing support for medical marijuana delivery services, like that now available in San Diego, San Francisco and Oakland.

Patients also spoke in favor of medical marijuana delivery, according to the release, including a lupus patient.

“I have lived with Lupus for 7 and a half years. My chronic pain and limited mobility make it a struggle to work and take care of my family. The City Council’s ban on medical marijuana is harmful to patients like me, and doesn’t make our community any safer,” Noemi Vasquez said. “Medical marijuana … manages my pain and gives me the ability to take care of my children and live a happy, productive life. Why should those of us — who are too sick to drive — be forced to order from illegal services we don’t trust when better, safer options exist?”

The San Jose City Council is set to consider medical marijuana business regulations in October.