Mid drives come with throttles.
If the person is new to cycling getting used to the gears is probably the bigger issue. In that sense hub drives seem a bit more new user friendly. Can't lug the motor by using too high of a gear.
A BF member named KREN had probably one of the most insightful posts about hub vs. mid drives for new users. Apparently he has helped many people get into ebikes. I would search for his post but I've had a few too many Sierra Nevada's