Buying Cannabis – What You Need To Know
Choose legal
Even though cannabis is regulated in Canada, it doesn't mean all cannabis is legal. If you meet the legal age requirement set by your province or territory and choose to consume it, you’re responsible for knowing what is legal and what is not.
Authorized Retailers
The authorized retailers website helps make this easier. It connects you to legal cannabis products, seeds and plants in the province or territory in which you live or are visiting.
Transcript
Looking to purchase cannabis online?
Make sure you choose legal cannabis to help protect your health, safety
and financial information.
Here's how.
Legal cannabis products are only sold through retailers
authorized by federal, provincial or territorial governments,
and must meet strict quality control rules.
Adults who meet the legal age requirements set by their province or territory
can possess up to 30 grams of dried legal cannabis or its equivalent.
If the website doesn't ask for your age before entering, it's illegal.
At checkout, if the website allows payment with cryptocurrencies, it's not legit.
Legal, online retailers only accept credit and debit.
Also, remember that legal cannabis packaging
is always child resistant features the excise stamp with security features
just like passports and cash to prevent forgery.
Has the standardized cannabis symbol when the product contains THC
in a concentration greater than ten micrograms per gram
and has health warnings with THC and CBD levels.
Exposure to unknown levels or contaminants in illegal products
can result in serious harm, especially if children ingest them.
Before you buy, get the facts.
Go to Canada.ca/cannabis
for more information on choosing legal cannabis.
A message from the Government of Canada. ♫
Risks of illegal cannabis
- Consuming illegal products could lead to adverse effects and other serious harms. Testing of illegal cannabis has found contaminants like pesticides and unacceptable levels of bacteria, lead and arsenic.
- There is no guarantee the products you buy through illegal online retailers will arrive (i.e., the retailer may not ship them or they could be interdicted).
- You expose yourself to fraud, identity theft or other financial crimes when you purchase from illegal online retailers because you’ re putting your personal information in the hands of criminals.
- Organized crime groups use profits from illegal cannabis sales to support other criminal activities that harm our communities.
Know what to look for
Legal retailers
- Age verification is mandatory.
- All cannabis products sold have:
- the standard cannabis symbol;
- mandatory health warnings;
- plain, child-resistant packaging; and
- An excise stamp, which is a standard maple leaf symbol, coloured differently for each province and territory
- The excise stamp is your guarantee that the product is produced according to the highest health and safety standards, reflects accurate THC levels, and is free from other substances that could cause serious harm.
- Major credit cards and debit are the only forms of payment accepted when you make your purchase through an online retailer.
Illegal retailers
- No age verification
- Offer products in appealing packaging or products (i.e., may mimic popular candy)
- Payment is requested by e-transfer or in a cryptocurrency
- Shipping is available anywhere in Canada
- Use a generic email address (i.e., Gmail, Yahoo, Hotmail)
Signs of untrustworthy websites
- Poorly designed and unprofessional looking
- Links and buttons are broken or disabled
- No contact information provided (i.e., phone number, email, address)
- Return policies or privacy policies are either unclear or not stated
- Credit card credentials are requested for reasons other than your purchase
- Prices are incredibly low (i.e., unbelievable deals)
- Shipping, duties, or extra charges seem abnormal
Report it
If you’ re concerned or have a complaint about a possible illegal cannabis activity whether online or in your community, contact your local law enforcement or nearest Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) detachment.
Awareness resources
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