An old legend claims that the first ever online sale was a bag of cannabis. Back in the 1970s, students at Stanford University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology used ARPANET, the first significant packet-switching network that led to the modern internet, to facilitate the e-commerce milestone. Or so the story goes.
Aside from becoming legalized, the sale of cannabis has come a long way in 50 years. Today, cannabis consumers have the ability to visit a shop the old-fashioned way, or shop cannabis online and pick it up later. In this article, we’re exploring modern methods of purchasing cannabis, plus how the market has progressed to get to this point.
The History of Buying Cannabis Online
During the dot com boom of the late 1990s and early 2000s, illicit online shops began popping up for customers to find cannabis online. In 2009, the introduction of the digital currency Bitcoin spurred a flurry of online weed purchases that were untraceable. But it was still hard to find. Cannabis-related searches were hidden from search engines, so forums and word of mouth were the only options.
Beginning in 2012, Google began modifying its policies to reflect the changing attitudes towards cannabis, highlighted by legalization in Colorado and Washington state.
But of course this online activity was all illegal, and remained as such in Canada until years later. The legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada was achieved in October of 2018 with the passage of the Cannabis Act (Bill C-45). That’s when the ball started rolling for the online sale of cannabis. By January of 2019, online cannabis sales were well underway across the country.
Buying Cannabis Online
The Risks
Buying cannabis is easier than ever thanks to online cannabis shops. But this ease has also encouraged illegal retailers to blend into the rest. Using illegal cannabis is risky because the products are untested and unverified. In the worst case, you could unknowingly purchase a dangerous product that’s been laced with something else. There’s also the risk of fraud, plus there’s no guarantee that your order will actually get delivered.
Rules for Legal Retailers
When selling weed online, there are a number of rules that retailers need to follow. For one, they have to have an age verification. They also need to display the standard cannabis symbol, health warnings, and an excise stamp on each package. Then the packages themselves will come in child-resistant packaging.
Spotting Illegal Retailers Online
If you’re unsure about the credibility and legality of the website you’re shopping on, be sure to look around for these warning signs:
- No age verification
- No contact info to be found
- Contact email address is general, like Gmail, Yahoo or Hotmail
- Payment by e-transfer or cryptocurrency is requested
- Shipping is available from anywhere in Canada
- The website is poorly designed or broken
- Prices seem too good to be true
How to Buy Cannabis Online
Once you’ve found a cannabis retailer you can trust, you’ll be asked to verify that you’re at least 19 years old, via the age verification form on the website. Each customer will be able to purchase as much as they want within these legal limits:
- 30 grams of dried cannabis
- we’ll warn you if your Cheeky’s shopping card is exceeding this limit
- 15 grams of edible product
- 70 grams of liquid product
- 0.25 grams of concentrates
After you’ve filled your shopping cart, you can complete your order by paying directly on the site or finalizing your order for pickup, in which case you’ll pay in person. When your order is ready, you’ll get an email. Then you can come pick up your order when it’s convenient. To prove your age and identity upon pickup, you’ll be required to provide two pieces of ID. The 1st piece must be government-issued with a photo of you, and the 2nd piece could be another government-issued ID or something like a credit card. Because Cheeky’s is a 19+ store, if you have kids in the car, you’ll have the ability to pay from your car – that’s what we call “Herbside Pickup”. Once you pay, you’ll be able to collect your products!
Buying Cannabis In-Person
Buying cannabis in-person, the traditional way from a brick-and-mortar retail location, is still the safest, fastest, and most engaging way to shop for cannabis.
When you enter a cannabis shop, you’ll often be able to browse products on display, or at least on a digital menu board. And because there’s no need for shipping, you’ll be able to walk out of the store with your products in-hand.
But perhaps the best reason to visit a cannabis shop in person is to benefit from the knowledge and experience of the staff. The world of cannabis can be confusing, and someone who knows what they’re talking about can really make a difference. Depending on what you need, they’ll help you find something to put you in the right state.
When you shop somewhere like Cheeky’s Cannabis, you also get to experience a welcoming shopping environment with tasteful décor and a sense of community. We aim to de-stigmatize cannabis by creating a shopping experience that’s accessible, safe, and happy. And of course we carry a wide range of cannabis products to suit every preference. Check us out in Maple Ridge, Vancouver (Kitsilano), Mission and North Saanich (Vancouver Island). Hopefully we’ll see you in-store soon!