Marijuana App Meets HIPAA Regs, But Not Google’s
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July 30, 2015Marijuana App Meets HIPAA Regs, But Not Google’s
If you live in California, and you’d like your prescription of marijuana delivered right to your door, well, there’s an app for that.
The Loud Cannabis app developed by The Green Exchange, Inc, links patients that have prescriptions for medicinal marijuana with growers that are willing to deliver. Patients can browse digital store fronts to find out about the different strands available from different farmers, where they are grown, if they’re organic, and so on, and then purchase marijuana directly from growers through the app. The grower then delivers the weed and everyone’s happy, except Google Play.
No Way Says Google
The app, which was released to Droid with the intent that an iOS version would be released soon, was first approved by Google and available for purchase through Google Play after its release. But once it hit the media and people started downloading it left and right, Google changed its mind, stating the company does not support any app that engages in illegal activity.
At this point, the app is only available in California, the first state in the US to legalize medicinal marijuana in 1996. The app also meets all of HIPAA’s regulations regarding the use of patient confidentiality, privacy, and security of healthcare information, all the technical stuff’s legit, so what’s the problem?
The app, while responsible for protecting the information passed through it, does not sell, nor distribute, marijuana, but acts as a platform for growers and patients to meet, sell, or buy from one another, sort of like a marijuana farmer’s market.
Loud Cannabis, which was awarded the Top New Marijuana App this year, must verify patients’ credentials, just like a dispensary does. And because of the regulations set by HIPAA, growers must supply their own drivers, not a third party delivery service, to protect patients’ information.
But there may be some other legal hang-ups. Some cities have set ordinances that state dispensaries are not allowed to delivery marijuana. While those who sell on Loud Cannabis are typically farmers and growers, dispensaries can use the app to sell excess inventory or hit a new market range.
Who Cares
The Green Exchange isn’t overly worried about Google Play booting the app though, and believes the decision will be overturned during the appeal process. Joshua Artman, the Founder and CEO of The Green Exchange, commented, “We operate in California, where medicinal marijuana is legal. Furthermore, we believe that patient’s right to access medicine has been obstructed by this decision.”
The Green Exchange does have a mobile website, which functions great with both Droid and Apple, so until things settle down, people can still get their smoke on.
Would you use the Loud Cannabis app? What do you think about Google Play’s actions? We want to know what your opinion so share with us in the comments.
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