Uber Eats to deliver pot

Uber Eats customers in Toronto will be able to order cannabis starting Monday, thanks to a new partnership with Leafly.

Why it matters: It's the first time that marijuana delivery will be available through a major third party delivery platform, such as Uber, according to Leafly.

How it works: Those in Toronto aged 19 years old and over will be able to order in the app as they would from a restaurant, although when searching for cannabis users will be warned they must be of legal age.

• However, deliveries will be made by the cannabis retailer's staff rather than an independent driver.
• Those delivering the order will also verify a customer's age and sobriety, in order to conform to Canadian law.
• The program will begin with three retailers: Hidden Leaf Cannabis, Minerva Cannabis and Shivaa’s Rose.

Between the lines: Uber had previously partnered with a retailer in Ontario, Canada to allow customers to order cannabis, but under that deal they had to pick up their order themselves.

What they're saying:

• Uber Eats Canada general manager Lola Kassim: "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."
• Leafly CEO Yoko Miyashita: "Leafly has been empowering the cannabis marketplace in Canada for more than four years and we support more than 200 cannabis retailers in the GTA. We are thrilled to work with Uber Eats to help licenced retailers bring safe, legal cannabis to people across the city."
• Hidden Leaf owners Marissa and Dale Taylor: "We are a small business and this partnership is a great way for us to expand our reach and grow our business across the city."