UBER - Uber Eats begins delivering marijuana orders in Toronto

Pot smokers in Ontario have been able to order weed through Uber Eats ( NYSE: UBER ) since last November, but until now, items were only available for pickup. That is now changing through a partnership with online marijuana marketplace Leafly. In a program starting in Toronto, residents over the age of 19 will be allowed to place orders from local licensed cannabis retailers, which will send over the goods via certified "budtenders" that will verify age and sobriety before handing over the baggies.

Quote: "We are partnering with industry leaders like Leafly to help retailers offer safe, convenient options for people in Toronto to purchase legal cannabis for delivery to their homes, which will help combat the illegal market and help reduce impaired driving," said Lola Kassim, Director and General Manager of Uber Eats Canada.

Delivery has been a key focus at Uber, especially since the pandemic changed the way people shop for food, prescriptions and other consumer goods. The company even scooped up on-demand alcohol marketplace Drizly last year for $1.1B, to expand its presence and footprint, and encourage people to use the app more often. Around the same time, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said Uber ( UBER ) could start delivering cannabis in the U.S. once federal legalization comes into play.

Stats: According to the Ontario Cannabis Store, the number of pot shops in the province climbed to 1,460 at the end of March, up from 1,333 at the end of 2021.

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