Can I get weed delivered (legally)? And how much does it cost?

We live in a magical time, a time in which a new power drill, a unicorn-shaped pool floatie or an adult onesie—thanks for never judging, Amazon Prime deliver person!—can be ordered as easily as a pizza and delivered, perhaps not as quickly, but lickety-split, nonetheless. Technology is simplifying day-to-day tasks, including basic errands, and that can include cannabis delivery.

Rules for cannabis delivery, where available, differ by province

While there’s something to be said for the in-store experience when done properly, the convenience of home delivery can’t be denied. Home delivery for alcohol and groceries has existed for years now, but the same service for legal, recreational cannabis remains in its infancy, with rules and restrictions running the gamut from province to province.

In Ontario, for example, the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) sells cannabis for personal use online. The OCS offers a $5 flat rate shipping fee and sends product via Canada Post’s standard delivery service anywhere in Ontario. It usually takes about one to three business days to arrive.

Cameron Brown, communications officer for The Hunny Pot Cannabis Co., in front of the moss wall inside the store located along Queen St. W. in Toronto.

For some folks, using the World Wide Web to order weed might feel risky, but as the OCS explains on its website, it uses the “highest possible security at all times,” and all data, including names, addresses and payment information, is encrypted.

Two of Toronto’s five new legal cannabis shops opened early in April—Hunny Pot Cannabis Co. on Queen Street West and Ameri in Yorkville—though at the time of writing, neither had an e-commerce presence.

In Manitoba, all five of the cannabis companies selling legal, recreational cannabis can do so both in stores and online. One of the companies, Delta 9 Cannabis Inc., offers same-day delivery to Winnipeg residents, starting at $9 for the courier fee and going up from there, depending on the distance. Tokyo Smoke has the same type of service in the city, in addition to a $15 rush fee that gets pot in your welcoming hands within two hours.

Next door in Saskatchewan, Prairie Cannabis is making pot shopping easier for those living in the centre of the province. Customers in Prince Albert and surrounding area can shop online and order directly (and discreetly) to their home, seven days a week from 11 am to 7 pm. Delivery rates vary.

Be prepared to be carded

Whether receiving weed via a courier or Canada Post, a valid, government-issued ID is required by all of the aforementioned businesses, and customers must always be of legal age to purchase cannabis in the first place. Some retailers are going so far as to charge a fee for misuse of the service. Delta 9, for example, explains on its check-out page that it will cancel an order and charge the customer $30 if anyone but the original buyer tries to accept the package.

Earlier this year, for example, Canadian-based delivery service Pineapple Express Delivery announced it was launching its own software on Shopify that would enable it to partner with licensed cannabis retailers.

While not everyone cross-country may enjoy the glory that is door-to-door weed delivery, it could become more common. Earlier this year, for example, Canadian-based delivery service Pineapple Express Delivery announced it was launching its own software on Shopify that would enable it to partner with licensed cannabis retailers. E-commerce businesses that use the Shopify selling platform can integrate Pineapple Express as a delivery method for both medical and recreational legal bud, cutting out the days-long wait via Canada Post.

“We believe leveraging one of the top e-commerce platforms available will benefit both the licensed producers (LPs) and their customers receiving the product,” company CEO Randy Rolph said at the time.

From provinces to LPs, others are also partnering with Shopify. Last year, for example, B.C. announced it had selected the company to provide an e-commerce platform for its online sales of non-medical cannabis in the province, and Green Organic Dutchman Holdings Ltd. reported it would also use the company to build the platform for delivery of organic cannabis worldwide.

All of this to say that the future of cannabis delivery in Canada seems bright, and at the rate Canadians are lighting up, it’s likely only going to get brighter.