With marijuana legalization always seems to come a flooding of new industry in a new place – and even the most restrictive of programs have at least some revenue earning potential. Sometimes, all it takes is a little creative thinking to get moving in a market that seems impossible to enter.
A man by the name of David Umeh was looking for a way to enter the industry in a unique manner and he certainly found it. The 25-year-old is CEO of HighSpeed Delivery – a juice delivery start-up that offers a side of cannabis with a donation to the business. Though the company started in Oakland, California; it is now located in Washington D.C. and has served over 300 customers.
One other business had cropped up in D.C. with a similar situation – but Kush Gods only delivered marijuana for donations. Ultimately the owner/operator of Kush Gods was found guilty of two misdemeanor distribution of marijuana charges and was sentenced to 2 years of probation.
“High Speed is a juice delivery start up operating within the confinements of Initiative 71. We are a juice delivery start up and every delivery of juice comes with a gift of cannabis,” says David Umeh.
However, the difference with Umeh’s business is that he is selling a completely separate product and the cannabis is simply a gift that comes along with the purchase. You can buy “just juice” which costs $11 – or you can up the price to leave a “love” donation for a total of $55 or a “lots of love” donation for a total of $150.
The size of the gift will vary, likely dependent on the size of the donation – but with the $11 juice you will receive “some” cannabis, with the $55 donation you will generally be gifted about 1/8th ounce and it can vary from there. The marijuana is supplied by local greenhouses, which operate to grow cannabis legally under Initiative 71, which also allows for the marijuana to be “gifted”.
“My goal is to figure out how to do it creatively within the law to make an impact,” explains Umeh.
Umeh has consulted with lawyers to ensure to the best of his ability that he is working within the confines of Initiative 71. He knows the business is risky, but hopes that if he manages to do this right and within the limits of the laws they already have then he could pave the way for more to do the same.
