Cannabis seeds can now be purchased online in Alberta

Those looking to grow their own marijuana are allowed to have up to four plants for personal use, but until now there were few places to legally buy cannabis seeds in Albertawithout a medical licence.

Now, the government's online cannabis retail website is offering seeds for those looking to try their hand at homegrown horticulture.

The seeds are sold four to a package.

Although most of the seeds are feminized, the producers can't guarantee that every seed will flower, says the regulating agency,Alberta Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis (AGLC).

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The website is offering two varieties of seeds both from Ontario-based producer Tweed.

One type is mainly THC, the other a THC-CBD hybrid, being sold at $45 and $60, respectively, for an amount equivalentto four grams of dried cannabis, the website says.

As of Jan.3, it appears thatthe cheaper variety has already sold out.

Meanwhile, AGLC confirms in a text message it plans to eventually sell live plants. The agency's Heather Holmensays one of the greatest challenges is to create the specific growing conditions required for cannabis plants to thrive.

Home-growing might be an alternative for Albertans frustrated bywaning weed supplies across the province.

According to the AGLC'sCharaGoodings, licensed producers make more from the finished product and so may be reluctant to distribute seeds to sell.

"It's a limited market for licensed producers, due to the fact that it'sreally like a niche market," Goodings said.

"And the reasonis because it's like proprietary information that they're giving out [about] their own product on how they sell [it]."

The AGLC website has information regarding the rules on growing, storing and transporting cannabis in the province.

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