The Apple app store is now cannabis transaction friendly, and last week Eaze was the first to take advantage.

The nation’s largest cannabis delivery platform announced the launch of a first-of-its-kind shoppable app for iPhone users as it went live last Thursday. It’s the first time a cannabis e-commerce app in Apple’s app store will allow customers to complete all aspects of cannabis purchase within the app without being forwarded to a browser-hosted transaction mechanism.

This will be yet another first, as it will allow the cannabis industry to take full advantage of the direct-to-consumer platform apps provide companies taking advantage of the tech. It will be especially helpful as they court new customers that will be able to use the Eaze app from the moment of registration until the driver gets to their door.

“Eaze has always been about using the latest developments in technology to make shopping for legal cannabis more accessible,” said Eaze CEO Rogelio Choy. “It’s hard to overstate how important this is to our company and the industry. It’s deeply gratifying to launch the Apple Store’s first fully-functional cannabis delivery app, making it even easier for our 2 million registered customers to legally consume.”

Part of the reason Eaze was able to pull the trigger quickly after Apple made the move is their in-house team of engineers.

“The flexibility and depth of our technical team allowed us to respond immediately to the changes in Apple’s policy and create an app that offers our customers the ideal experience for cannabis delivery,” said Eaze Distinguished Engineer CJ Silverio.

Part of the team’s buildout included geofences meant to keep them out of hot water. The digital boundaries prevent the app from conducting purchases anywhere they’re not allowed by law. You can expect Eaze to roll out similar services when they launch in Michigan later in the month.

While the cannabis industry still has plenty of problems when it comes to things like banking, social media, and the current pace of change, having the only company on the planet valued north of $2 trillion join the cause certainly helps.

Over at the National Cannabis Industry Association, they continue to watch the tide turn in their favor. Morgan Fox, NCIA Media Relations Director, weighed in on the news.

“This seems like another big domino to fall for major global companies moving away from discriminating against legal cannabis consumers and providers, and helping to support regulated markets,” Fox told L.A. Weekly. “Hopefully, this will incentivize other big tech players to modernize their views and policies when it comes to cannabis in the U.S. as well as the global market. Small businesses are hurting the most under the current and unnecessary restrictions placed on regulated cannabis commerce in the venues that are not only the most heavily utilized but that also allow for the greatest audience control in terms of age and location restrictions that are required by most state laws.”

Another curious question for many is when larger standard tech services embrace the cannabis market, what will happen to the waves of cannabis tech startups we see on an annual basis. Why do we need some random new POS system when we can just use QuickBooks like most dispensaries already were when the first legalization ballot initiatives were implemented?

 

Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.