Are Online Dispensaries legal in Canada?

Online purchases of cannabis for medical or recreational use are authorized in all Canadian provinces from either government-run websites or licensed private sellers.

Even if recreational cannabis use is legal in Canada, you still need a license to sell it. However, online marijuana dispensaries seem to be operating freely. A simple Google search for “mail order marijuana” may produce dozens, if not hundreds, of unlicensed websites selling cannabis.

Online purchases of cannabis for medical or recreational use are authorized in all Canadian provinces from either government-run websites or regulated private sellers.

Since AGLC is pulling out of the online cannabis market, licensed dispensaries will be able to sell cannabis and offer delivery services directly to their customers.

Online cannabis sales in Canada need a cannabis retailer to hold a retail license and an endorsement from the AGLC.

How will Online cannabis orders and deliveries be regulated online?

According to the RCMP, Canada Post has standard operating procedures for inspecting mail in transit.

Meet your online broker: Shopify is confident in its online technology’s ability to handle cannabis demand.

The online cannabis store in Ontario will ship via Canada Post for a $5 delivery fee.

According to Canada Post: Since 2013, Canada Post has been safely transporting medical cannabis. Canada Post will adhere to federal laws, rules, and guidelines, as well as those of provincial and territorial governments, which will regulate sales and distribution in their respective provinces and territories.

Once recreational cannabis is legalized, licensed distributors will ensure that their packaging and labeling shipments comply with federal and provincial rules and regulations.

Eliminate any fraud that may exist.

It’s not simply where the cannabis was purchased from that’s a problem when buying it from an illegal online vendor.

The police service reports discovering illegal online cannabis vendors that want copies of buyers’ driver’s licenses and even secondary identification such as utility bills to verify buyers’ ages and delivery addresses. Because of this, criminal organizations can now profitably sell the buyer’s private data, including banking details.

We target illegal online vendors and encourage safe, legal online purchase options to prevent citizens from becoming victims of further crimes.

Remember that scammers may wait years before using a victim’s personal details in any illegal transactions. Keeping your identity secure and monitoring your credit scores is essential.

Marketing Restriction on Legal dispensaries.

Legal cannabis retailers face marketing challenges in luring customers away from illegal online cannabis stores. Licensed retail cannabis dispensaries must have blacked-out windows, so the interior is not visible from the street. Retail cannabis licensees are not permitted to sell their products online in any way, including through third-party Internet discount programs. Licensees are also banned from operating drive-throughs or participating in delivery services.

Will the RCMP and Canada Post be monitoring drug activity via mail?

According to the RCMP, Canada Post has SOPs in place for the inspection of mail in transit. When asked, the RCMP will continue lending a hand to Canada Post.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) may be contacted by Canada Post in order to help with the recovery and identification of suspected illicit contraband found in packaged mail, for instance.

A search warrant is required before the RCMP can go through with a mail search related to a criminal investigation.

Licensed distributors can rest certain that Canada Post will work with them to ensure they understand all of the rules and regulations.

The majority of our policies and procedures are in place for medical marijuana, and we are always working to improve our method. Similarly, to current process, if a shipment in our network is giving off a very pungent odor because of poor wrapping, we will not deliver the item concerned.

In the event that our postal inspectors intercept an item or determine that it is questionable, they will continue to collaborate with local authorities.

Online Dispensaries FAQs:

How can you identify if an online seller is legal?

AGLC launched CannabisSense.ca in January 2022, giving clients helpful information to distinguish legal cannabis items from illicit sites. The AGLC website lists approved online dispensary Canada cannabis retailers.

Approved retailers must also prominently display specific information so Albertans may quickly identify a business that the AGLC has approved for legal cannabis sales. This includes the following:

All of the license numbers of the licensees.
Names and physical addresses of all licensed establishments.

What if I order online from another province – is that legal?

No, it is not legal. Non-medical cannabis purchased outside the province and delivered within the region by the seller is not legal cannabis.

Individual provincial and territorial governments, not the federal government, regulate non-medical cannabis sales. Each of these government bodies has rules that allow cannabis merchants to sell to consumers inside their jurisdiction but do not allow non-medical cannabis sales to consumers outside their authority.

Suppose a website offers to transport non-medical cannabis to more than one province or territory in Canada. In that case, the website is likely violating provincial and federal legislation, rendering the cannabis delivered illegal.