Uber Eats now delivers cannabis in Canada
The company says it's the first time a major third-party platform has offered weed delivery anywhere.
Torontonians now have another way to get cannabis without having to wait too long for it to show up, as Uber Eats is offering deliveries in the city starting today. Uber Eats has teamed up with cannabis marketplace Leafly to offer residents swift weed delivery from local, licensed retailers. Uber Eats claims this is a world first for a "a major third-party delivery platform." Users in Ontario have been available to order weed through the app since last November, but until now items were only available for pickup.
If you're in the city and feel the need to take the edge off, you can select the cannabis category or search for one of the retailers (Hidden Leaf Cannabis, Minerva Cannabis and Shivaa’s Rose are the first three to sign up). You'll receive a warning that you need to be of legal age, which is 19 in Ontario, to view the products. After you place an order and the retailer confirms it, one of the retailer's own licensed "budtenders" will deliver your items. As is the case with alcohol orders, the delivery person will verify your age and level of sobriety before handing over the goods.
Uber Eats claims the move will reduce the need for people to buy cannabis from the underground market. While the app might make it easier for people to order some cannabis, it's already possible to do so from some retailers on Leafly's platform. Some offer delivery within 45 minutes, but Uber Eats may be faster in many cases.
