Uber Eats will let you order weed in Ontario, but won't deliver

Uber is partnering with a cannabis retailer in Canada to allow users to buy cannabis through its Uber Eats food delivery platform. Although this arrangement does not include delivery of weed orders, it makes it possible for users in Ontario to order products from Tokyo Smoke in a dedicated section on the Uber Eats app.

For Ontario customers, in the Uber Eats app, select either the "Cannabis" category or search for "Tokyo Smoke." After verifying their age, the customer is directed to a menu at a Tokyo Smoke store in the area to place their order, which Uber says will be filled within an hour. The consumer then takes his order at the Tokyo Smoke store.

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said in April that the company would take a look at cannabis deliveries "when the road is clear". In February, the ride-hailing giant acquired Boston-based alcohol delivery service Drizly for $1.1 billion. But Lantern, a cannabis delivery service launched in May 2020, was not part of that deal.

The companies didn't mention plans to expand to other Canadian provinces, but Meghan Casserly, Uber Eats' head of communications for deliveries, confirmed that the new arrangement with Tokyo Smoke is "pickup only."

Canada legalized recreational cannabis in October 2018, and cannabis sales are projected to reach $4 billion in 2021. In the US, recreational cannabis is legal in 18 states, and the use of medical marijuana is legal in about three dozen states. However, despite repeated efforts to decriminalize marijuana, marijuana remains illegal at the federal level. In July, Sens. Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) released a discussion draft of legislation proposing sweeping reforms to marijuana policy in the US.