People in Ontario can now order weed off Uber in a first for the ride-sharing company.
On Monday, Uber Canada announced it’s partnering with cannabis retail chain Tokyo Smoke to allow customers in Canada’s largest province to order weed off the Uber Eats app. But Uber won’t be delivering the weed—people will still have to go to the store to pick up their orders.
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“We are partnering with industry leaders like Tokyo Smoke to offer safe, convenient options for people in Ontario to purchase legal cannabis,” said Lola Kassim, general manager of Uber Eats Canada, in a news release.
Ontario’s cannabis stores are privately owned and are currently not allowed to deliver weed. Only the government-run online shop, Ontario Cannabis Store, can deliver cannabis to people’s homes.
The province relaxed the rules during the early days of the pandemic, allowing weed stores to do delivery and curbside pickup, before ending those changes in July. According to the Canadian Press, the province is considering allowing stores to do delivery and curbside pickup on a permanent basis.
The news release said the Uber/Tokyo Smoke pairing will “help combat the underground illegal market,” which makes up more than 40 percent of adult-use weed sales in Canada. It also said allowing weed to be delivered could make a dent in impaired driving.
Unregulated weed delivery services have been widely available in Canada for years.
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