How to Safely Purchase Weed Online In Canada

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Buying things online can be a bit complicated. Unfortunately, the complexity is even more intense when it comes to buying marijuana online for medical or recreational use. As of recently, marijuana is available for purchase in Canada, and it seems that customers in Canada share the same fate as their peers worldwide. 

Buying weed online in Canada can appear somewhat challenging especially if you haven’t done it before.

Your concerns can range from “Is it safe to do it” to “How can I tell which is the best online marijuana dispensary”. We are here to tell you that shopping online for cannabis doesn’t have to be a hassle. 

All you need to do is be prepared and know the ins and outs of shopping weed online. For this reason, we deliver to you the ultimate guide on how to safely purchase weed online in Canada.

Is It Legal to Buy Cannabis Products Online in Canada

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The first risk you should address is the risk of buying illicit cannabis. Is it legal to buy cannabis online in Canada? The best answer we can give you is – it depends. How come? Recreational cannabis got legalized in 2019 with the federal’s government Bill C-45. However, there is one catch. 

Not all Canadian provinces have the same rules and regulations regarding storing and purchasing cannabis products and marijuana for recreational use. Bill C-45 made every province in charge of regulating the distribution of cannabis.

The rules and regulations differ from province to province. The smart thing to do would be to check out the specific rules in the province you live in.

The major difference when it comes to rules is the regulation of sources that you can use to buy cannabis products from. For instance, in New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, and BC, you can buy weed legally online only from government-run websites.

In other provinces, consumers are allowed to buy cannabis from a private online marijuana dispensary.

The Basics of Buying Weed Online in Canada

After the legalization of cannabis in Canada, it became possible to visit an online marijuana dispensary and shop for weed. Consumers can finally enjoy all the benefits of online shopping. They can place orders on the go or from the convenience of their homes. The delivery is also streamlined and reliable. Online orders are delivered right to the consumers’ doorsteps.

To buy weed online in Canada, you have to provide proof of age. Once again, this is not a regulation that stays the same across all of Canada’s provinces. In some provinces, you have to be older than 19, while in Quebec, you have to be 21 years of age to purchase and use cannabis.

Since the legal age to buy weed online varies from province to province, you should make sure that you are of legal age to buy weed online in the province you live in. 

In any case, every online marijuana dispensary site features proof of age which you must pass to complete your order. Bypassing age restrictions via ordering from a marijuana dispensary site in some other province can result in legal repercussions, and you should avoid doing it. 

6 Factors to Consider Before Purchasing Weed Online

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Since safety is your primary concern, you shouldn’t immediately browse cannabis edibles, CBD and THC cannabis products, marijuana for recreational or medical use, or compare the prices of various cannabis strains. 

To master safe and secure shopping for cannabis online, you should be aware of certain factors. Here are the most important things to consider before you place your cannabis order online.

Does the Online Marijuana Dispensary Carry a Valid License

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Whether it is only a website or a brick-and-mortar shop, it is still a business. If you don’t want to end up with illicit drugs in your possession, you should make sure that you are shopping at a licensed establishment. 

Every business in this niche must carry a valid license. Any cannabis product purchased from a business without a proper license is considered illicit.

Fortunately, this is something that you can easily check. Scroll down to the bottom of the site and look for the license number. Enter the license number in Canada’s business registry and see if the store can legally sell cannabis.

How Big Is the Online Marijuana Dispensary

If you want to have a great shopping experience, you should buy cannabis at big-enough online weed websites. Big shops store a variety of products, including CDB and THC formulas, edibles, and rare cannabis strains. Behind a big shop usually stands a big company.

The good thing about big companies is that they don’t want to risk their reputation. They don’t only sell a large variety of products but also source them from reputable and trustworthy supplies and manufacturers.  We’ll come back to why it’s the company size important in the coverage of the delivery services section. 

Is It a Well-Established Online Marijuana Dispensary

If you’re looking to safely buy cannabis online, you should check whether it is a well-established shop or not. Well-established shops feature detailed product descriptions, quality images and provide support for various payment methods. 

They have access to top-quality strains and other cannabis-based products. Most importantly, you will be able to check their history and interactions with customers on social media platforms, consumer forums and review their ratings. They should be at least a couple of years on the market.

The Reputation of Online Marijuana Dispensary

We briefly touched on the reputation of an online marijuana dispensary in the previous section. Before becoming a customer, you want to ensure that you have access to nothing but quality products. This means that you should check the company’s reputation.

The best online cannabis shops are not afraid to share what their customers think about their products and services. Look for social proof on their home page. Don’t forget to take a look at their product reviews and ratings, which should be available on every product page. 

The Secure Checkout on the Marijuana Dispensary’s Website

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Every online cannabis store supports different payment methods. But before you choose a store that you personally find the best, check if it offers secure payment. After all, you will disclose your payment information, and you don’t want it to be used for unauthorized purchases. 

There should be a section in the shop’s privacy policy addressing how your data will be processed and stored. You should also check if the shop has a valid SSL certificate on the website. There should be a small padlock icon right before the site’s address in your browser.

The Quality of Marijuana and Other Products

One of the best safe shopping practices when buying cannabis online is to check the quality of all cannabis-based products. Whether it is a CBD or THC edible, sleep or concentration formula, or cannabis plant, you have to make sure that it is not fake or manufactured under suspicious circumstances.

The best products on the market come with lab test results. You can even go one step further to look for an independent laboratory test report. It will help you buy only the best and pure products.

The Coverage of Delivery Services and Quality of Packaging

Once you find a reliable online marijuana dispensary with the best selection of products, you need to check the coverage of delivery services.  Some online shops may be too far away, which makes shopping inconvenient as you have to wait days or sometimes a week before your packet is delivered. Big companies are present in several cities, which means that they can complete delivery faster.

Furthermore, in order to be safely delivered, your package has to be properly safeguarded. This is where packaging comes in. While the cannabis plant and its derivates THC and CBD are resilient and couldn’t be easily damaged and spoiled, the products in this category aren’t. 

Why risk something happening to the delivery? While you browse the site’s selection of products, look for the packaging practices before finally placing your order. 

The Prices of Cannabis Products

When shopping online, you should pay close attention to prices. The same applies if you want to buy medical or recreational cannabis. Some shops want to attract more customers, and they often advertise cannabis on sale.

You should always exercise caution when buying these products on sale, especially if it’s an extremely affordable rare cannabis strain. For instance, make sure to check the expiration date, the source, and the manufacturer.

The prices should not be significantly different from shop to shop. Seeing something on a very attractive sale is a red flag and definitely calls for more research.

How to Buy Marijuana Online in Canada for Personal Use

Now that you know the basics of safe online cannabis shopping, you are ready to buy weed—just one final word of advice. Most of the online marijuana dispensaries will ask you to register an account before you can continue shopping. This is standard practice, and it is done for your and their own safety. 

They do it simply to keep track of the orders and to be able to verify that you are of legal age to buy marijuana. Plus, it makes future shopping more convenient as you only need to log in to make an order.

Conclusion

Buying weed is legal in Canada. Still, there are some safety concerns when you do it via a website. Hopefully, the tips we’ve shared will help you do it in a safe and secure way. We aimed to provide you with actionable tips that address safety concerns regarding the legality of your purchase, quality of products, and safety of your sensitive data.