As of today, residents of Toronto will be able to have legal cannabis delivered directly to their homes, courtesy of the Uber Eats.
Following the technology company’s partnership with Leafly, a leading online cannabis marketplace, Torontonians aged 19 and older will be able to place orders via the Uber Eats app.
Orders placed through Uber Eats will be fulfilled by local licensed cannabis retailers and will be delivered by CannSell certified staff. The first three licensed retailers to feature on the Uber Eats app will be Hidden Leaf, Cannabis Minerva Cannabis, and Shivaa’s Rose.
The partnership aims to diminish the proportion of cannabis sales from the illicit market, which is reported to account for over 50% of nonmedical purchases within Ontario.
Moreover, greater access to cannabis via delivery services, such as Uber Eats, will help combat impaired driving. Research from Public First reveal that approximately 14% of users have admitted to driving within two hours of consuming cannabis.
How Will the Uber Eats and Leafly Partnership Work?
According to the press release announcing the partnership between Uber Eats and Leafly:
- Prospective customers will be able to select the “Cannabis” category on the Uber Eats app, or alternatively, search for one of the licensed cannabis retailers. This will come with a warning that customers must be of legal age to enter the ‘virtual storefront’.
- To place an order, customers must be within the delivery radius of the licensed cannabis retailer. They will then be notified on whether the retailer has accepted the order and given an expected timeframe for delivery.
- Just like ordering takeout or other items using Uber Eats, you will be notified when the licensed retailer accepts the order and the estimated time of delivery.
- Orders will only be delivered by licensed cannabis retailer’s own CannSell certified staff, as per provincial regulations (independent third-party delivery drivers will not be assigned to these jobs).
- Upon arrival of the delivery, the customers age – and sobriety – will be verified, as required by regulations.
Discussing the partnership between the two companies, the CEO of Leafly, Yoko Miyashita said that the company “are thrilled to work with Uber Eats to help licensed retailers bring safe, legal cannabis to people across the city”.
Hailing the apps expansion into delivering legal cannabis to customers in Ontario, the General Manager and Director of Uber Eats Canada, Lola Kassim, remarked: “Over the last few years, we have invested heavily in our delivery business and selection has expanded tremendously. Uber Eats has grown quickly to become a versatile platform usable by diverse businesses large and small.”
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