Operators Tell Committee Drive‑Thru Sales Could Improve Access and Safety; Regulators Urged to Clarify Law

Cannabis retailers and operators urged lawmakers to clarify state law to allow properly designed drive‑thru retail models under H.175. David Monti, general manager for Ironstone Express (operator of Green and Go), said his former car‑wash building was designed to allow customers to drive in while remaining within compliance of CCC security rules and that experience during COVID showed the model could work safely. “If somebody's gonna smoke in their car or consume cannabis in their car, they're gonna do it whether they have to get out of their car or not,” Monti told the committee, arguing that drive‑thrus do not increase public safety risk and improve access for disabled veterans and others. Operators described multiple security policies they would use: continuous video coverage of the property, on‑site check‑in staff who verify IDs at the vehicle, staffing checkpoints, and refusal policies for visibly intoxicated customers. Several legislators raised the problem that no admissible scientific roadside test proves marijuana impairment, asking how employees would make a reliable decision about refusing service. Operators said their staff are trained to look for acute signs of intoxication — slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, odor — and to refuse service when warranted, as they currently do at walk‑in stores. Why it matters: Witnesses said drive‑thru options would increase access for older or disabled patrons, support medical patients who cannot easily enter stores, and add a regulated, monitorable retail pathway. Legislators pressed for clearer security standards and for statutory language that eliminates regulatory ambiguity so operators can apply to the Cannabis Control Commission for approval. Ending: Retail proponents asked the committee to pass H.175 to clear statutory doubt and asked the CCC to adopt consistent guidance on vehicle‑based transactions and security protocols.