Canada has seen widespread use of cannabis, with a significant number of residents embracing its consumption for recreational and medical purposes. In response to the demand, local edibles shops have emerged as competitors by providing diverse products and high-quality customer service.
With the proliferation of local edibles shops across the country, residents use the “weed shop near me” search to order online and find establishments that tirelessly offer a seamless experience.
Table of Contents
- Recent Health Canada Update Summary
- Cannabis Use
- Social Acceptability
- Cannabis Use for Non-medical Purposes
- Age of Initiation
- Frequency of edibles Use
- Types of edibles Products Used and Frequency
- Average Amount Used on a Typical Day
- Relative Levels of CBD and THC in edibles Products
- Weed Use With Other Substances
- Sources Used to Obtain Weed
- Cannabis for Medical Purposes
- Frequency of edibles Use for Medical Purposes
- Symptoms, Diseases, and Disorders
- Increasing edibles Stores in Canada
- What Local edibles Shop Must Do
- Get Your Quality Products from a Trusted Dispensary
- Frequently Asked Questions
Recent Health Canada Update Summary
The edibles Act, in effect since October 17, 2018, regulates edibles production, distribution, and sale. Health Canada collects data through the Canadian edibles Survey (CCS) to assess the Act’s impact, gather insights on Canadian attitudes and edibles usage, and inform policy and program development, such as public education and awareness.
Cannabis Use
Cannabis is used in different ways, such as smoking in its dry form or consuming it in other forms like consumables, concentrates (like hashish), liquids, or other versions.
- Non-medical edibles use refers to the recreational use of edibles for purposes such as social enjoyment, amusement, spirituality, lifestyle preferences, or other non-medical reasons.
- Medical edibles use is when its use is to treat a disease or disorder or help relieve symptoms associated with a medical condition.
Social Acceptability
Compared to 2018, there has been increased social acceptability of regularly consuming edibles through edibles or drinks (58%), vaping edibles (55%), and smoking edibles (54%) from edibles stores.
Cannabis Use for Non-medical Purposes
The findings indicate that 26% of Canadians aged 16 and older reported using edibles from edibles dispensaries for non-medical purposes in the past year. Over time, there has been an increase in the past 12 months of edibles use, which rose from 22% in 2018.
Age of Initiation
The average age for initiating edibles use was 20.8 years, which shows an increase from 18.9 years in 2018. Females were a bit older than males when they tried edibles for the first time, with average ages of 21.0 and 20.5 years, respectively.
Frequency of edibles Use
Regarding the frequency of edibles use among Canadians who reported using it for non-medical purposes in the past 12 months, 57% reported using edibles three days per month or less, while 15% reported daily use.
Types of edibles Products Used and Frequency
The three most common cannabis store product types used in 2023 were dried flower or leaf (60%), edible edibles (54%), and vape pens or cartridges (34%).
Other product types in edibles stores available for shopping included oil for oral use (26%), beverages (19%), hashish or kief (16%), topical products (12%), and concentrates or extracts (11%).
Average Amount Used on a Typical Day
Among individuals who used edible weed, the average consumption was approximately 1.4 servings. In 2023, individuals reported using an average of 10.3 puffs from a vape pen and consuming 1.2 drinks when using weed-infused beverages obtained from edibles stores.
Relative Levels of CBD and THC in edibles Products
Starting in 2019, individuals who had used edibles in the past 12 months revealed the relative delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol and CBD levels in the products they used. The responses were as follows:
- 28% indicated higher THC and lower CBD
- 15% indicated higher CBD and lower delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol
- 12% selected equal levels of THC and CBD
- 17% reported using a mix of these products
Weed Use With Other Substances
In line with previous survey cycles, respondents commonly reported using alcohol (40%) with weed, followed by tobacco (24%). The majority of Canadians who had used edibles in the past 12 months reported never combining edibles with opioids (96%), sedatives (96%), stimulants (93%), or hallucinogens or dissociatives (90%).
Sources Used to Obtain Weed
- The majority of individuals (73%) reported shopping for edibles in metric and imperial units from a business source, such as a edibles store or when they order online.
- Fifteen percent of respondents obtained edibles socially, either by sharing it among friends or acquiring it from a friend, family member, or acquaintance.
- Five percent reported growing their edibles or having it grown specifically for them.
- Only 3% of individuals reported shopping from a dealer.
Cannabis for Medical Purposes
In the latest survey, 10% of Canadians aged 16 years and older reported shopping for edibles for medical purposes. This figure represents a decrease from both 2018 and 2022, where the corresponding percentages were 13% in both years.
Frequency of edibles Use for Medical Purposes
The most common frequency of edibles use reported was less than one day per month, accounting for 28% of respondents. Daily use was the second most common frequency, reported by 27% of respondents. 15% of individuals reported using edibles for medical purposes 2 to 3 days per month, which remained consistent over time.
Symptoms, Diseases, and Disorders
The most commonly selected symptoms were problems sleeping or insomnia, chosen by 45% of respondents. 33% of respondents use edibles for chronic pain and 31% for anxiety.
Increasing edibles Stores in Canada
Canada has many recreational edibles stores distributed across its ten provinces and three territories. As of January 2024, there were over 3,600 recreational edibles dispensaries in the country, with an average of nearly one store per 10,000 residents nationwide.
Various provinces follow different approaches to marijuana retail sales. For instance, Ontario, the most populated province, and Alberta, the second-largest edibles business map, permit private-sector edibles dispensaries to sell marijuana.
Cannabis Stores By Region and Per 10,000 Residents
|
Region |
Cannabis Stores |
Weed Dispensaries |
Per 10,000 Residents |
|
Canada Ontario Alberta British Columbia Manitoba Saskatchewan Quebec Newfoundland and Labrador Nova Scotia New Brunswick Northwest Territories Yukon Prince Edward Island Nunavut |
3,623 1,742 749 494 198 184 98 53 49 38 6 6 5 1 |
Alberta Saskatchewan Manitoba Yukon Northwest Territories Ontario Newfoundland and Labrador British Columbia Nova Scotia New Brunswick Prince Edward Island Nunavut Quebec |
1.63 1.53 1.39 1.36 1.32 1.14 1 0.92 0.48 0.46 0.29 0.25 0.11 |
Data from Toronto and Vancouver, Canada’s largest census metropolitan areas, indicate a trend where more stores are concentrated in neighbourhoods with higher material privilege.
Zoning regulations across most provinces permit stores to operate in areas designated for general retail as long as they adhere to certain jurisdictional guidelines. These regulations usually lead to a more equitable distribution of stores across neighbourhoods, influenced by market demand, visibility, and consumer convenience.
In densely populated urban areas like Toronto, there tends to be a higher prevalence of individuals living alone compared to the national average, along with greater retail density. Young adults’ higher rates of edibles usage and the elevated demand for such establishments in large urban centers drive the increased presence of edibles stores in these areas.
What Local edibles Shop Must Do
A local edibles shop should take the following actions regarding edibles delivery packaging requirements based on the survey findings:
- Ensure that all edibles delivery packages include the necessary information and elements as required by regulations.
- Provide clear and accurate THC and CBD content, as indicated by 38% of respondents from the Canadian edibles Survey.
- Display health warning messages prominently on the protected packaging.
- Include the standardized edibles symbol on the packaging.
- Use child-resistant, protected packaging to ensure safety
- Consider including an excise stamp on the packaging.
- Recognize that edibles users are more likely to know these delivery packaging requirements than non-users.
- Continuously educate staff and customers about the delivery packaging requirements to ensure compliance and consumer awareness.
Get Your Quality Products from a Trusted Dispensary
BC Weed Edible Canada is an online edibles dispensary offering diverse edibles products. Our range includes edibles, dried flower, capsules, and more, which ensures that edibles users can find the precise product to suit their needs. Our products vary in cannabinoid content and dosage to cater to both recreational and medicinal purposes. We also adhere to stringent packing standards to enable our customers to understand their purchases fully and practice safe storage of their products.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I find edibles accessories and paraphernalia at local edibles shops?
Local in-store or online edibles shops carry a range of edibles accessories and paraphernalia, such as rolling papers, pipes, vaporizers, bongs, grinders, and storage containers. The availability of these items depends on a specific inventory of the nearest store.
Can I order edibles products from edibles dispensaries online?
Online edibles stores offer edibles users convenient access to their favourite edibles by operating 24/7 for accessibility. These platforms with touch gestures double tap boast extensive inventories, which makes them an excellent choice for bulk purchases. For medical marijuana patients, an online site proves especially convenient, particularly for those with social anxiety or pain.
What to expect from a edibles store?
- There are various edibles products available, so you must read the description.
- You can ask for help from a budtender if you have concerns or need an answer to your inquiry.
- You do not need a medical card.
- You must be of legal age to access cannabis.
- You can order edibles at home.
- You can find discounts and promos at an online dispensary.
How to find a edibles store?
You can go to Google, type “weed dispensaries near me,” and switch to map view. Here, you can navigate by moving left, right, up, down, Zoom in, Zoom out, Home Jump left, Jump right, up or down to navigate to the store you need. Once you find a dispensary near you that offers online access, you can visit their product page to begin shopping.
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