What Is A Dispensary?

A dispensary is a storefront operation that sells marijuana or provides consultation services to individuals seeking information on the process of applying for a medical marijuana card. They are different from clinics, who have in-house doctors that are legally certified and capable of diagnosing and prescribing medical marijuana. They are also different than Licensed Producers, who have been approved by Health Canada to produce, package and distribute marijuana within Canada.

While some storefronts might have a lax policy, most will require customers to provide medical documentations such as a doctor’s note to prove that they need medical marijuana. Many Canadian dispensaries have on-site naturopaths or services that allow prospective patients to consult one via video chat. Unlike the legal medical marijuana system, which provides only dried pot and oil, many dispensaries sell pills, creams, cookies and other products made with cannabis.

Strictly speaking, dispensaries are not legal in Canada. According to The Controlled Drugs and Substances Act, it is illegal to sell marijuana outside the federal medical marijuana program, which permits a list of licensed producers to provide the drug through a mail-order system. A number of dispensaries in multiple cities were raided and shut down by police. However, in general, the police departments are said to have taken a “hands-off” approach to dispensaries as they are not a priority, intervening only if there is a risk to the public, such as sales to minors or links to organized crime.