A Canadian cannabis consultation service has partnered with a second Ontario cannabis retail chain to offer pharmacist-led cannabis consultations for consumers.
Apothecare, a pharmacist-led consultation service, is now partnering with FIKA Cannabis, a cannabis retailer with 21 stores across Ontario, to provide its customers with direct access to licensed pharmacists who provide personalized, evidence-based guidance to support health and wellness.
Apothecare announced a similar program with another Ontario cannabis retailer, Stok’d Cannabis, earlier this year. The company, which was cofounded by two licensed pharmacists holding Doctor of Pharmacy degrees from the University of Toronto, has also previously partnered with numerous individual retailers.
The program gives cannabis consumers who visit these stores a chance to connect with the Apothecare portal, either online or over the phone, to provide them with more information about specific cannabis products, any potential issues to watch out for with other medications, etc.
FIKA’s COO says the retail chain is expecting to deepen its wellness focus, helping guests explore how cannabis can support therapeutic concerns such as sleep, anxiety, and chronic pain.
“At FIKA, we’ve always believed cannabis retail should be welcoming, informed, and empowering,” said Ryan Dymond, President and COO of FIKA Cannabis. “Our partnership with Apothecare elevates the educational support we offer—connecting guests with healthcare professionals who can help them navigate their cannabis journey safely and confidently. It’s a natural extension of our commitment to community, quality, and delivering exceptional guest experiences.”
Since budtenders are unable to communicate health and wellness information to consumers, access to pharmacists provides a solution, explains Apothecare’s co-founders.
“FIKA Cannabis has built something truly unique—modern retail spaces where people feel at ease, informed, and cared for,” said Anushya Vijayaraghevan, cofounder of Apothecare. “We’re excited to support that vision by offering clinical support that helps people integrate cannabis safely into their wellness plans with confidence and clarity.”
Vijayaraghevan also noted in a conversation with StratCann that, with an increasing number of wellness-focused cannabis products in the market, giving consumers a chance to talk about them with a pharmacist makes sense.
“This is where healthcare professionals are needed and where they should intervene,” she adds. “You can even look at the different wellness products on the market that are zero THC products. There are many topical products available, and no one is using a topical product recreationally. So we’re really just filling this gap in care and ensuring that cannabis is safe for someone after doing a proper assessment.”
Lisa Bigioni , the CEO at Stok’d, explains how the process works in her stores.
“We have marketing materials in store to help start the conversation and the staff talk about the partnership whenever they have the opportunity. I actually just recommended Apothecare today. I ran into an old friend who asked about sleep aids for her husband who’s concerned about cannabis interacting with his medication.”
A press release from FIKA and Apothecare notes that a national survey conducted by Health Canada in 2023 found that nearly 6 in 10 Canadians who used cannabis for medical purposes did so without the guidance of a healthcare professional.
“Many Canadians are turning to cannabis for therapeutic relief, but most do so without access to credible medical advice,” says Ajay Chahal, also a cofounder of Apothecare. “Through this partnership with FIKA, we’re bridging that gap— offering expert, evidence-based consultations that only a few Canadian cannabis retailers have legally been able to provide.”
The most reported reasons included managing chronic pain, anxiety, and sleep difficulties. Despite growing demand for therapeutic cannabis, the survey revealed that only 27 percent of respondents consulted a medical professional before use, highlighting a critical gap in support. Apothecare aims to meet that need by offering private, pharmacist-led consultations that help Canadians use cannabis safely and effectively as part of their wellness plans.
A similar study in 2023 highlighted that most individuals using cannabis for medical purposes continue purchasing from outside the medical system, utilizing a mixture of the medical access program, the non-medical or “recreational” system, or through the illicit or unregulated market.
“People who don’t have medical authorization are more likely to obtain cannabis from a recreational store or the unregulated market rather than a federally licensed medical seller, which means they have limited access to medical advice on things like dosage, potency, and type of product,” said principal investigator in the study, Dr. Lynda Balneaves, associate professor at the College of Nursing, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Manitoba. “It raises concerns about whether people are using medical cannabis safely and effectively, and if there could be potential harms to their health.”
A 2019 study found that three-quarters of Canadian medical trainees wanted more cannabis education to feel confident authorizing its use. Similarly, 91% of nursing students identified significant gaps in their curriculum regarding both medical and recreational cannabis.
A 2024 peer-reviewed study in BMC Medicine surveyed 5,433 Canadians using cannabis for therapeutic purposes and found that chronic pain (67%), anxiety (63.6%), and sleep issues (61.8%) were the most common conditions treated. Despite these medical needs, only 54.1% of participants had medical authorization, highlighting the need for professional guidance in cannabis use.
Many in the industry have been calling for allowing pharmacists to distribute cannabis for medical purposes. In 2024, the federal government’s expert panel even called for pharmacy access to medical cannabis. Specifically, the panel’s report recommended expanding the existing model, which permits online sales, to allow in-person cannabis access at pharmacies.
