OTTAWA – Canada’s privacy watchdog is warning cannabis consumers who are worried about their personal information being collected to pay with cash rather than plastic.

Privacy Commissioner Daniel Therrien gives the advice in a statement on his website trying to help cannabis sellers and buyers understand their privacy rights.

The statement says cannabis remains illegal in most countries making the personal information of Canadian cannabis consumers even more sensitive.

Some countries could bar entry to individuals if they know they have purchased cannabis, even lawfully.

Therrien suggests that Canadians consider the risks when providing personal information to join a membership club or mailing list, and asking how personal information will be stored.

The Commissioner also advises that Canadians avoid the collection of personal information by using cash instead of credit cards when buying cannabis from legal retail outlets.

However, cash is not an option to many Canadians, as some provinces have only a limited number of retail stores and in Ontario, legal cannabis is only available for purchase online via credit card until April 2019.