CALIFORNIA– In a move to adapt to outdated regulations, GreenLeaf Dispensary has launched Little Buds, a three-minute mini-daycare where parents can leave their kids long enough to pick up their cannabis without having to—wait for it—set their infant down on the sidewalk and beg the security guard to “keep an eye on them.” Yes, really.

“Look, we’ve seen it all,” said GreenLeaf owner Jesse Bloom. “Parents coming up to our security guard with a baby in one hand, a diaper bag in the other, and saying, ‘Can you just watch him for a sec while I grab my stuff?’ This isn’t the kind of thing you ever hear outside the dispensary world. Nobody’s asking the CVS guy to babysit while they grab some cough syrup or hard seltzers.”

Bloom finally had enough and launched Little Buds—a mini-childcare setup complete with a couple of toys, some crayons, and a short cartoon loop to keep the little ones entertained. Staffed by a licensed childcare provider, Little Buds is there for parents who just need those crucial few minutes to buy their medicine without resorting to guerrilla babysitting tactics. “It’s a few crayons and a safe space, so you don’t have to set your six-month-old down on the sidewalk like you’re stashing a package,” Bloom said with a sigh.

For the parents who use Little Buds, the service is both a lifesaver and a wake-up call. “It’s ridiculous that I can grab a six-pack or my allergy meds with my kids right there in the cart, but God forbid I need my prescription cannabis,” said mom and GreenLeaf regular Amanda Liu. “Now I can leave my kid at Little Buds and be back before she’s even picked up a crayon. But seriously, this shouldn’t even be necessary.”

The setup may be simple, but the headache behind it is real. “We had to basically create a whole new business entity, complete with payroll, liability insurance, and licensed staff, just so our customers wouldn’t be forced to leave their babies on the curb like a forgotten purse,” Bloom explained. “This isn’t a cute add-on; it’s a workaround because cannabis is the only industry where picking up a legal product requires a whole nanny service on standby.”

Parents are both grateful and annoyed. “Thank God for Little Buds, but also, why is this even a thing?” asked another parent. “If I have to strategize childcare for a five-minute errand, what’s next? Hiring a babysitter so I can pick up Tylenol?”

For now, Little Buds is the only thing standing between GreenLeaf customers and the potential chaos of babies left with security guards. As Bloom puts it, “If we have to jump through these hoops to provide a basic service, we’re going to do it. But it’s about time the laws caught up with reality—because if we’re running a daycare just so parents can pick up their meds, something’s clearly broken.”