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How To Buy Weed In Canada: Starter Pack
Now that weed is legal in Canada, one would be forgiven to assume that they can walk into the nearest Fresh St. Market and order some White Widow nugs. Well, this can’t be further from the truth as there is a lot that goes on behind the scenes; talk of strict regulation. Just like alcoholic beverages, the sale of cannabis products is red-taped and restricted to a few government-controlled and privately owned weed stores. If you want to buy weed in Canada either as a tourist or local, here is an essential starter pack to guide you.
You can save time by using our website to buy weed online.
1.0 Can You Buy Weed Legally In Canada?
It’s an amazing reality that Canada legalized marijuana for recreational use towards the end of 2018, 17th October to be precise. This was not just a victory for Canadians but also for cannabis supporters from all around the world. Finally, there is a place to retreat to when all you want to do is “puff-puff-pass” with no fear of getting arrested by cops. When in Canada, anyone can buy weed legally and toke, as long as they adhere to a few essential guidelines:
1. Age limit: The legal age for using cannabis in Canada is 19 years in all states apart from Alberta which has set it at 18 years. Quebec plans on raising the legal age limit to 21 years by January 2020. This, they say, is to “protect teens and their developing brains.”
2. Possession limit: Adults can possess up to 30 grams of cannabis, by dry weight or its equivalent, at any given time. Provinces are allowed to lower (but not increase) the limit. The 30 grams can also be shared with other adults.
3. Where to use recreational cannabis: You can buy weed legally in Canada, BUT you can’t use it anywhere you feel like. Though rules vary from one province to another, the general restricted areas include:
- Private residences such as long-term care homes
- School and public institutions
- Workplaces
- Vehicles
- Hotels and restaurants
4. Where to buy weed legally: The provinces set the rules on where marijuana can be bought and sold. In most provinces cannabis can be bought either online or from brick and mortar weed stores. Provincial governments can run these stores or license private entrepreneurs to do the same. For a clearer picture of how each province regulates the sale of cannabis, you can check here.
5. Penalties for cannabis offenses: In case you are found guilty of contravening the law, this is what you will be in for.
| Cannabis Offence | Penalties |
| Possession over the limit | You may get a ticket or be given a sentence of up to 5 years |
| Selling cannabis illegally | You may get a ticket or be given a sentence of up to 14 years |
| Exceeding the allowed grow limit for personal consumption | You may get a ticket or be given a sentence of up to 14 years |
| Offering cannabis to an under-age person | Jail term not exceeding 14 years |
1.1 Can You Buy Weed Legally In Ontario
Yes, you may buy weed legally in Ontario, as long as you adhere to the laws set by the provincial government.
For starters, you must be over 19 years to be eligible for recreational weed. Secondly, you can only use recreational weed in a private residence or public places such as parks and sidewalks. Car shelters, workplaces, and public institutions are exempt from this list. If you are found guilty of contravening the law on these counts you will either be fined or sentenced to serve a prison term.
1.2 What Is The Role Of The LCBO?
LCBO stands for the liquor control board of Ontario. Back in 2017, Kathleen Wynne who was the Premier then proposed that the LCBO open the only store to sell marijuana products to the public. Thus the LCBO was to be the only vendor of recreational cannabis in the province.
Doug Ford, who became Premier in 2018, changed this to allow private stores to sell cannabis to the public. However, all retail stores must be supplied by the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS); a subsidiary of the LCBO.
In 2019, the OCS ceased being a subsidiary of the LCBO. It is now under the Ministry of Finance.
2.0 Where To Buy Weed In Canada
You now know that you can buy weed legally in Canada for as long as you are adhering to the laws and regulations. But where do you buy it?
The rules and regulations will vary by province. Here is a detailed breakdown of where to buy weed in each province.
| Province | Where to buy | Online option |
| Website | ||
| Alberta | Private weed stores | Government-run website |
| British Colombia | Government-run weed stores | Government-run website |
| Manitoba | Private weed stores | Private websites with physical storefronts |
| New Brunswick | Government-run weed stores | Government-run website |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | Private weeds stores | Government-run website |
| Nova Scotia | Government-run weeds stores | Government-run website |
| Nunavut | Government-run website | |
| Ontario | Private weeds stores | Government-run website |
| Prince Edward Island | Government-run weeds stores | Government-run website |
| Quebec | Government-run weed stores | Government-run website |
| Saskatchewan | Private weed stores | Private websites |
| Yukon | Government-run weed stores | Government-run website |
2.1 Where To Buy Legal Weed In Ontario
If you happen to be in Ontario and want to buy weed, you will have two options to choose from. Before April 2019, there was only the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) which is still a great option. This is a government-run online cannabis store that offers a wide range of cannabis products. Their repertoire includes dry flowers, oils, pre-rolled, and capsules. Now that cannabis 2.0 (legalization of edibles) happened, we expect to see this repertoire expand to accommodate edibles, beverages, and extracts.
Central Cannabis in London, Ontario was the first brick and mortar store to open its doors to the public on 1st April 2019. Now, there are a couple other marijuana stores that supply high quality weed in Ontario such as Tweed, Ganjika House, Canna Cabana, Tokyo Smoke, Smok, Hunny Pot, and Ameri among others.
The Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario (AGCO) regulates the privately run cannabis stores in Ontario. The cannabis retail stores are obliged to display the Provincial issued license in a place that’s visible to the public as they enter the store. So before purchasing marijuana from any privately run weed store in Ontario, ask to see the AGCO license.
2.2 Where To Buy Legal Weed In Toronto
The rules that apply to Ontario also apply to Toronto. If you are in Toronto, here are a few suggestions for head shops that you can try out. Remember that you can only purchase online from the Ontario Cannabis Store.
| Weed Store | Location | Authorization |
| MJN Express | Markham | Application Pending |
| CannaCabana | 435(B) Yonge St. | Authorized to Open |
| NovaCannabis | 499 Queen St. W. | Authorized to Open |
| TheHunny Pot | 202 Queen St. W. | Authorized to Open |
| Tokyo Smoke | 333 Yonge St. | Authorized to Open |
3.0 Buy Weed Online Canada
You can buy weed online Canada from all the provinces apart from Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Residents of these two provinces can still order marijuana from licensed online sellers in other provinces; this could be government-run or private websites. MJN Express is a good example of a mail order marijuana website that offers a wide selection of high-quality cannabis products.
3.1 Buy Weed Online In British Columbia
If you live in British Columbia, you can buy weed online from the government-run website. The website is up and running and offers a wide array of cannabis products and accessories. This includes sativas, indicas, as well as hybrids.
But customers prefer to buy weed online through online dispensaries.
The province’s B.C. Liquor Distribution Branch (LDB) oversees the sale of recreational marijuana in British Columbia. After ordering and purchasing the BC Cannabis stores ship directly to the customer’s preferred address. The maximum limit of 30 grams, or a little more than 1 ounce of dried cannabis or its equivalent applies for online purchases as well.
3.2 Why Should I Buy My Weed Online?
Buying weed online allows you three benefits: convenience, efficiency, and discretion. Buying from government-run websites, which also happen to be the sole wholesalers in most provinces may also offer better prices. Lastly, buying weed online can give you a better variety of products to select from.
It’s quite easy to fit dozens of products on one website. This does not apply to stores that may have limited shelf space.
Buying weed online is a pretty straight-forward process. Most websites will require you to sign up and verify your age, you can then select your products to make an online payment and have the products shipped to you within 2-5 business days. Cannabis products are usually delivered in a nondescript package.
4.0 Resources To Help You Buy Weed In Canada
If you are a visitor in Canada and meet the required legal age for buying cannabis you may need a few resources to help you locate appropriate weed shops near you.
4.1 WeedMaps
Weed Maps perhaps the best resource to start with. It gives a comprehensive overview of all the provinces and all the weed shops in that province. It also shows you the location of the weed shop, online options, delivery options as well as marijuana doctors in that region. You can look it up here.
4.2 Budhub Canada
Budhub Canada is another helpful resource to help you find cannabis-related products and services near you. The website also includes cannabis culture and other marijuana topics to educate, inform, and entertain.
It also has reviews on different cannabis businesses and products which are helpful as well.
4.3 OCS Store Locator
The Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) has an online store locator that can help you find licensed weed stores nearest to you. You will just need to input your city or postal code to view the authorized weed stores nearest you. For example, if you input Ottawa, this is what you get.
You can find the OCS store locator resource here.
5.0 Bonus Tip: MJN Express
MJN Express is an online marijuana dispensary that offers a great selection of flowers, edibles, extracts, concentrates, and accessories. Their unique selling point is premium cannabis strains at affordable prices delivered to your doorstep.
If you are looking to buy weed online in Canada you can look them up through this link.
Sources
1. Department of Justice Canada. Retrived from https://www.justice.gc.ca/eng/cj-jp/cannabis/
2. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/oct/30/quebec-cannabis-legal-age-21
3. Government of Canada. Retrieved from https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/drugs-medication/cannabis/laws-regulations/provinces-territories.html
4. Ontario Cannabis Store. Retrieved from https://ocs.ca/
5. CNN Business. Retrieved from https://edition.cnn.com/2019/10/17/business/canada-cannabis-legalization-2-0/index.html
6. Leafly. Retrieved from https://www.leafly.ca/cannabis-store/central-cannabis-london/about
7. Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario. Retrieved from https://www.agco.ca/
8. BC Cannabis Stores. Retrieved from https://www.bccannabisstores.com/blogs/responsibility
