It’s time to break up with illegal cannabis. You can do better.
First, we need to talk about illegal cannabis online.
Think you can spot the differences between an illegal cannabis website and a legal one authorized by AGLC? How about a site that’s legal in other regions but not allowed to sell in Alberta? Don’t worry. We got you.
Legal sites:
- will only ship within Alberta to ensure revenue generated goes right back into Albertan communities.
- will only sell a maximum of 30g to a customer at a time to reduce the chances of overconsumption.
- will only carry edibles with a max of 10mg of THC per bag to increase safer consumption practices and allow easier management of doses.
- won’t offer any BOGO deals to decrease impulse buying.
- won't feature products designed to mimic candy that appeal to people under 18.
Ghost dangerous bud. Find a better match.
When it comes to cannabis, it’s best to be sure. Before you buy, know the facts. Learn to easily spot an illegal cannabis website.
Red flags: Dangers of illegal cannabis
When you buy illegal, you can’t be sure what you’re getting. A website could look like the real deal but open you up to identity theft and fraud. The same old bud you’ve bought for years may look legit, but instead come loaded with ingredients that cause a dangerous reaction, and potency levels that could result in unwanted effects.
Set your personal boundaries
If it’s illegal, you can’t be sure what you’re getting or exactly how potent it is. Don’t open yourself up to adverse effects like nausea, vomiting, increased anxiety and confusion.
No matter why you’re looking to use cannabis, you have plenty of reasons to stick with legal sites. You can be certain the products are quality tested, government approved, and, unlike illegal sites that have no quality control, you’re less likely to experience negative health effects.
You’ve got higher standards
What’s the difference between testing done on legal cannabis vs illegal cannabis? Legal cannabis is tested for safety and quality. Illegal isn’t.
Because illegal cannabis isn’t regulated, you can never be sure what additional ingredients are included. Things like pesticides, bacteria and harmful chemicals you don’t want to ingest can find their way into your weed.
With legal cannabis, Health Canada sets industry wide standards for the growing process and tests cannabis products rigorously for things like pests, chemicals and more, to ensure a high level of safety and quality. Growers and licensed producers must create the conditions for safe and clean growing, right down to the safety of water.
Recall protocols also ensure that any issues are dealt with appropriately. Did you know you can check for any recalled cannabis products in Alberta? Visit AGLC Cannabis Recalls to find recalled products and see why testing standards, labelling issues and the chances of adverse reactions are taken very seriously.
Perfectly potent: Green flags
Don’t get lovebombed with dangerous levels of THC! Find the THC and CBD potency that’s right for you.
Because illegal cannabis isn’t regulated or tested, many illegal cannabis products have inaccurate THC and CBD levels which can lead to potential cannabis poisoning and other unwanted effects.
To safely enjoy cannabis, you need to keep in mind the potency level of what you’re ingesting to avoid side effects like nausea, dizziness and increased anxiety. Some illegal cannabis products have been found to contain ten times or more THC than what’s displayed on the package.
Buying legal means you can be far more confident in what you’re getting.
Don’t get catfished!
Buying illegal products can leave you open to the risk of being ripped off, paying for something that never arrives. Or paying for one thing and not getting what was shown online. And since it’s illegal to begin with, there’s no way to get your money back.
Illegal websites also put you at a much higher risk of fraud and identity theft. When you’re asked for personal information like your name and address, as well as payment information, there’s no way to be sure that sensitive info is secure. It could be sold online, making you the victim of financial crimes and identity theft.
Where to buy legal cannabis
Don’t risk it. Buy legal. For Albertans, cannabis can be purchased legally from a licenced retail store or licenced online store: Cannabis licensee search
Benefits of buying legal
Buying only legal cannabis comes with more than a few benefits, check out why you should care how you buy weed.
Health Canada sets industry-wide standards and rules for the growing process. Licensed producers (LPs) must meet safe and clean growing conditions.
Health Canada prohibits the use of dangerous pesticides and requires testing for other contaminants such as mould, bacteria and chemicals. When an LP does not follow these rules, Health Canada can recall and destroy their product, fine the LP up to $1 million and remove their licence.
LPs may carry multiple strains of dried cannabis, with detailed information about strains. Legal cannabis is controlled, with THC, CBD and Terpene content properly labelled. With illegal cannabis, consumers may not know precisely what they are getting as there is no guarantee that strains are correctly labelled, and the THC and CBD content may be unknown.
All staff working in Alberta cannabis retail stores are certified as Qualified Cannabis Workers and must complete AGLC's SellSafe course specific to legal cannabis sales.