Sun Lakes Country Club, a senior-living community in Chandler, has plans to install an on-site kiosk that would allow residents to order marijuana from LoveBud, a neighboring dispensary. Home to roughly 2,000 residents, along with neighboring sister communities, the new kiosk could expand cannabis access for more than 12,000 residents.
The project was done in collaboration with two Arizona-based cannabis brands, Life Is Chill and LoveBud. The kiosk is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly. Notable features include an “Easy Mode” that provides a curated menu, simplified ordering and bigger navigation tools. Residents who place orders on certain days also will receive complimentary at-home delivery.
According to Joe Rizzo, the director of food and beverage at Sun Lakes Country Club, the novel partnership with local cannabis brands is rooted in education and access. “At Sun Lakes Country Club, our goal is to provide our members with access to trusted resources that support their overall health and well-being. By partnering with organizations like Life is Chill, we’re giving our community another opportunity to learn about all of the options available to them. Whether members ultimately choose to utilize these services or not, we believe having access to reliable information empowers them to make informed decisions about their own health,” Rizzo explained.
The goal of the kiosk was to target the large-scale and, at times, overwhelming nature of cannabis ordering platforms, that can prevent accessibility among older adults.
“From the beginning, our goal has been to simplify the cannabis experience for seniors. Through our relationship with the Sun Lakes communities, we saw an opportunity to bring together trusted products, personalized guidance and technology that’s genuinely easy to use,” Dr. Dana Lillestol, the senior education advocate for Life Is Chill, said in a press release. “Residents shouldn’t have to sort through hundreds of products just to find what works for them. This curated approach helps remove that uncertainty while making cannabis more accessible to an entire community.”
Regarding cannabis use, consumption amongst those 65 and older has been steadily increasing alongside legalization. Statistical data published in JAMA Internal Medicine found a 45% increase in cannabis use among American adults older than 65 between 2021 and 2023.
“This kiosk represents much more than another ordering channel — it removes barriers that have prevented many seniors from comfortably accessing cannabis,” James Watkins, chief executive officer of LoveBud, noted. “Adults over 55 continue to be one of the fastest-growing groups embracing cannabis, yet the shopping experience hasn’t always evolved with them. Together with Life Is Chill, we’ve created a platform that’s intuitive, approachable and designed around the needs of the people using it.”
