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Editors Note: This is a guest post.

When cannabis became legal in Canada for recreational use in July 2018, the path to legal weed seemed simple. When the Government of Canada appointed ex Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair to head up the legalization process is when the train came off the rails. 

Numerous delays along the legalization process started raising red flags in the budding cannabis industry. Later it became clear that the Canadian Government was not going to release its grip on the fledgling cannabis industry. The inexperienced parliamentarian’s designed complicated laws and regulations which they believed were going to allow for a smooth transition to legalized cannabis.  

Complicated Licensing and Regulations Force Boutique Growers Out

By the time the Liberals finished with the legalization process, it was almost instantly clear that the regulations encouraged large corporations to own the market. At the same time, smaller boutique growers wouldn’t be able to afford the extreme costs of licensing and meeting regulations. 

Many of the regulations designed by the Government to ensure that the medical-grade bulk CBD oil producers were providing customers with clean, quality cannabis products seemed to go by the wayside when the corporate weed companies took over. “Corporate weed,” as I like to call it, is lower quality and contains more contaminants and costs more than cannabis available from any other market, including the illegal market.

If that wasn’t enough to turn customers off the legal cannabis bandwagon, the Government also staggered the release of dry herb, edibles, and concentrate products. 

The Start of Really Bad Cannabis Products

While our Government’s incompetence was creating a market full of overpriced, low-quality cannabis products produced by corporate cronies, consumers got wise quickly. They went back to their black-market dealers who provided cheap, better quality weed. Even with a lack of product selection, consumers have made it clear that government corporate weed isn’t going to cut it. 

 Based on the poor experience, cannabis users had to accept and the fact that most consumers prefer to shop online as a matter of convenience, online dispensaries began to explode online. 

As the average person reads this article, most of you won’t be aware that people have been buying cannabis products online from BC dispensaries for over a decade. That’s a fact, and I know because I’ve been illegally purchasing cannabis from online dispensaries in British Colombia for as long as I care to remember. 

Ordering Cannabis Online is the Clear Choice 

The benefits of ordering online from BC have always been clear and haven’t changed much in a decade. British Columbia started its road to legalization many years ago. Since the beginning, growers and dispensaries in BC have been figuring out what the market wants, the quality they expect, and the price they are willing to pay. That head start allowed competition to grow and develop over time, naturally leading to better products, more product variety, and fair prices. 

Edibles and concentrates have been available online from BC for as long as I can remember. The market has matured in BC, and products have improved during that process. A healthy level of competition has stabilized the price per gram and created higher product quality demands. 

There are several reasons why I buy my cannabis products online and will continue to do so. We’ve already discussed the convenience of shopping anywhere and anytime using your phone or computer. Still, there are better reasons why I won’t change my ways. 

I Care About My Privacy

For me, privacy is a big deal! I don’t like people knowing my business, and I certainly am not interested in the American Government knowing my purchasing habits when I cross the border. Shopping at online BC dispensaries does improve your privacy over shopping at a legal government store such as the OCS store in Ontario. 

Small private dispensaries do require you to upload a photo of your driver’s license to prove that you are of age. Still, they don’t digitize your driver’s license and enter your information into a database like Government stores are doing. 

Government Stores are larger targets for hackers seeking to steal information or credit card data. At the same time, small dispensaries remain too small to justify a hacker’s time.

 Buying Cannabis Online is Easy and Secure

I like that I don’t need to go anywhere or talk to anyone when making my cannabis purchase online. I want to do my research and answer my own questions as much as possible. Still, if I do have a problem, I want fast and easy access to customer support services via email, phone, or live chat support. 

 Are you wondering how you could buy cannabis online and know that it will be a good quality product? I know it seems strange at first not being able to smell or touch the product before you buy it, but online dispensaries have this sorted out too. 

Use Cannabis Review Sites to know what you Are Buying

Most good online dispensaries, like the dispensaries listed on this cannabis review site, provide very detailed descriptions and details about all the products they stock. Excellent quality closes up images are used to show you every aspect of the bud’s character. The closer to knowing what product to buy is the honest user reviews that are collected by the customers who are purchasing the products. Any dispensary I shop at will have a lot of reviews from many users that is the only way I make my final buying decision.

Online Dispensary = Choice and Savings

Price is also a significant factor in where I purchase cannabis products. As a consumer, I’m searching for a perfect combination of quality and price when purchasing online. Having many dispensary options to choose from helps consumers by allowing price and product comparison shopping. 

If you’re looking for a common strain, you should be able to locate it at multiple dispensaries. Having that particular strain available at numerous dispensaries offers the consumer more opportunity to select the quality/price option they want.

Generally, online dispensaries have a more extensive customer base than traditional brick and mortar shops. Having a more extensive customer base allows online dispensaries to purchase their product in larger discounted volumes. Those savings are passed on to the customer to ensure that the store is competitive and busy.  

 How to be safe when buying weed online in Canada?

Buying online cannabis has been a fantastic option for me. Still, when I first considered purchasing online, I was understandably nervous just like you are right now. A bunch of worrisome thoughts popped into my head. Is this dispensary legit, will the product be as advertised, will the package be confiscated by Canada Post or worse would the police come knocking on my door?

Well, I can assure you everything worked out, time and time again. I have run into the odd minor issue when trying out a new dispensary, mostly problems with receiving the wrong product or the product not being exactly as advertised. Not once has a package gone missing, or a police officer showed up to arrest me. 

Today you have no reason to feel anxiety over ordering online. The legal status of cannabis has changed in Canada and the rules that govern the way Canada Post screens in-country packages. It’s legal to send marijuana through the mail and against our constitutional rights for privacy. 

In 2020, the online dispensary market has matured and become the leading access point for legal cannabis products. Having better prices and more selection than local legal dispensaries or online government options such as the OCS store continues to drive cannabis users online. 

The Only Real Options for Accessing Cannabis are Online or Black-market

Black-market cannabis remains the most significant section of the cannabis market and is showing little sign of change anytime soon. Calling your local “guy” is easy and fast and, most of all, the cheapest option, which is what the average cannabis user is looking to access. In time cannabis users will be forced to look to the online marketplace if they are interested in edibles, concentrates, top-shelf quality, and variety.