Legal and Image Issues Preventing 7-Eleven from Selling Cannabis

• In the state of Oklahoma, there are relatively less restrictions for selling cannabis, with no licensing caps or municipality zoning restrictions.
• However, when 7-Eleven purchased multiple buildings from franchisees in January 2020, it refused to renew the lease of cannabis dispensaries that were present in those buildings.
• The reason given by the property manager to the cannabis dispensaries owners for the abrupt refusal was that the company considered it a criminal activity and did not want to get involved in marijuana or lease to companies in the marijuana business.
• However, 7-Eleven did not provide any official comment or explanation when requested by the local press. 

Confusion About Deal to Sell CBD

• In May 2018, Phoenix Tears announced that it had reached an agreement with 7-Eleven to distribute its CBD products in 9 US states.
• Shortly after, this news was officially denied by Stephanie Shaw, director of communications for 7-Eleven, who announced that there was no agreement or partnership made and it was not clear why Phoenix Tears announced it.
• In fact, it seems that a deal was struck with franchisees to distribute the CBD products, but not with the corporation.
• According to some industry sources, 7-Eleven has tried to distance itself from CBD due to its legal uncertainty. 
• Stephanie Shaw has justified the presence of CBD products in some stores by the autonomy of franchisees to choose their products, and that the corporation did not have the power to block them as long as the products were legal.

CBD Dispensers in Colorado

• In 2019, 7-Eleven introduced CBD-dispensing robots at a location in Boulder.