British Columbia authorizes online cannabis sales

British Columbia has decided to allow the sale of cannabis online or by phone to facilitate physical distancing measures. However, customers will still be required to pick up their purchases in-store.

«This change is in response to a request from retailers, who continue to follow the provincial health officer's guidelines,» said declared British Columbia Attorney General David Eby. «This decision supports public health and safety by reducing the amount of time customers have to spend in stores and allowing them to maintain physical distance from employees and one another.»

The Until now, provincial law did not allow Non-medical cannabis retailers are only allowed to take reservations online or by phone. Once products have been reserved, customers must go to the store to pay and pick up their orders.

The new rules allow stores to accept payments by phone, on their website, or through an app. Cannabis store employees will still be required to verify customers’ ages when they come to pick up their orders. The new regulations also require that online sales include the use of an age verification tool to screen customers at the time of order.

British Columbia has also announced that it is considering allowing home delivery. In addition to eliminating the need for customers to travel, this would make it easier for the legal cannabis industry to compete with unauthorized dealers.

«Legal cannabis retailers have told us they want more tools to increase their competitiveness with the illegal market by allowing online sales,» said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety.

«By offering online sales, we can support the growth of a vibrant, legal cannabis industry while keeping public safety our top priority,» he added.

A recent survey A recent survey indicated that more than half of the province’s cannabis users obtain their supply from legal retailers. In October 2019, that figure was only 31%. The survey also found that 70% of British Columbia residents support the legalization of cannabis in Canada.