Cannabis consumers have greater access to safer, legal non-medical cannabis now that licensed retailers have additional ways to deliver products directly to customers.

Beginning Friday, July 8, 2022, licensed cannabis retail stores (CRSs) in B.C. can deliver non-medical cannabis to consumers through common carriers such as Canada Post and delivery-service providers. This builds on the July 2021 authorization for CRS licensees and their employees to deliver non-medical cannabis to consumers.

“Since federal legalization of non-medical cannabis, we have continued to look for ways to support the cannabis industry in our province while providing safe and accessible options for British Columbians,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. “Expanding delivery-service options not only builds equality within the market, it also gives consumers one more reason to buy legal instead of illicit.”

The expansion of delivery options will provide more economic opportunities for retailers and supports requests from the private licensed industry to align with the publicly run online retail sales platform operated by the BC Liquor Distribution Branch.

“Private retailers welcome this expanded delivery regime,” said Jaclynn Pehota, executive director, Retail Cannabis Council of BC. “This is a significant tool for our members. Government heard our request and responded. Knowing that the government supports and is creating parity within the legal cannabis industry will help retailers thrive and will continue to ensure British Columbians have a choice as consumers.”

The Province has also released another study showing concerning levels of pesticides in illicit cannabis products, reinforcing the consumer protections that the legal, regulated cannabis system provides. The report, Chemical Analysis of Illicit Cannabis, can be read on the B.C. government’s “Buy Legal” cannabis webpage.

Learn More:

Information on cannabis regulation in B.C.: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/public-safety/cannabis

Chemical Analysis of Illicit Cannabis report: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/public-safety-and-emergency-services/public-safety/cannabis/chemical_analysis_of_illicit_cannabis_report.pdf

National Collaborating Centre for Environmental Health blog post on B.C.’s 2021 pilot study testing illicit cannabis: https://ncceh.ca/content/blog/unregulated-cannabis-risky-production-practices-raise-concern-consumers

Two backgrounders follow.