Table 2
Police-reported crime for selected drug offences, Canada, 2018
| Number – 2018 | Rate – 2018 | % change in rate – 2017 to 2018 | % change in rate – 2008 to 2018 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total drug offences | 83,483 | 225 | -11 | -27 |
| Cannabis—possession1 | 26,194 | 71 | -33 | -53 |
| Cannabis—trafficking1 | 3,349 | 9 | -44 | -64 |
| Cannabis—production or importation/exportation1,2 | 4,898 | 13 | -4 | -33 |
| Cannabis (Cannabis Act)—possession3 | 458 | 1 | ... | ... |
| Cannabis (Cannabis Act)—distribution3 | 175 | 0s | ... | ... |
| Cannabis (Cannabis Act)—sale3 | 236 | 1 | ... | ... |
| Cannabis (Cannabis Act)—importation or exportation2,3 | 308 | 1 | ... | ... |
| Cannabis (Cannabis Act)—production3 | 98 | 0s | ... | ... |
| Cannabis (Cannabis Act)—other4 | 179 | 0s | ... | ... |
| Cocaine—possession | 6,903 | 19 | -5 | -41 |
| Cocaine—trafficking | 6,839 | 18 | 3 | -44 |
| Cocaine—production or importation/exportation2 | 583 | 2 | 79 | 45 |
| Methamphetamine—possession5 | 10,400 | 28 | 10 | ... |
| Methamphetamine—trafficking5 | 2,680 | 7 | 10 | ... |
| Methamphetamine—production or importation/exportation2,5 | 523 | 1 | 239 | ... |
| Ecstasy—possession5 | 283 | 1 | -8 | ... |
| Ecstasy—trafficking5 | 126 | 0s | 50 | ... |
| Ecstasy—production or importation/exportation2,5 | 778 | 2 | 386 | ... |
| Heroin—possession | 2,291 | 6 | 1 | 309 |
| Heroin—trafficking | 848 | 2 | -11 | 207 |
| Heroin—production or importation/exportation2 | 198 | 1 | 110 | 255 |
| Opioids (not heroin)—possession6 | 1,474 | 4 | ... | ... |
| Opioids (not heroin)—trafficking6 | 941 | 3 | ... | ... |
| Opioids (not heroin)—production or importation/exportation2,6 | 75 | 0s | ... | ... |
| Other drugs—possession5,6,7 | 7,079 | 19 | ... | ... |
| Other drugs—trafficking5,6,7 | 3,392 | 9 | ... | ... |
| Other drugs—production or importation/exportation or other2,5,6,7 | 2,175 | 6 | ... | ... |
...
not applicable
0
true zero or a value rounded to zero
0s
value rounded to 0 (zero) where there is a meaningful distinction between true zero and the value that was rounded
Note(s):
Police-reported statistics may be affected by differences in the way police services deal with offences. In some instances, police or municipalities might choose to deal with some offences using municipal bylaws or provincial provisions rather than Criminal Code provisions. Counts are based on the most serious violation in the incident. One incident may involve multiple violations. Data for specific types of crime are available, in most cases, from 1977. Rates are calculated on the basis of 100,000 population. Percentage changes are based on unrounded rates. Populations are based on July 1 estimates from Statistics Canada.
Source(s):
Uniform Crime Reporting Survey (3302).
Table note 1
As a result of the coming into force of the Cannabis Act on October 17, 2018, all prior cannabis-related legislation under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act has been replaced with the Cannabis Act.
Table note 2
In 2018, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in Montréal amended its practices for reporting incidents of importation/exportation of drug offences to better align with the Uniform Crime Reporting Survey in an effort to report consistent and accurate data. This has contributed to increases in these offences. However, if it is assumed that there were no changes in these counts reported by the Montréal RCMP from 2017 to 2018, there would still be a national increase in importation/exportation offences in 2018 for all drug types except in the case of the "other drugs" category, which would still show a decrease in these offences.
Table note 3
The Cannabis Act came into force October 17, 2018; therefore, there is no percentage change from 2017 to 2018, or from 2008 to 2018.
Table note 4
Includes "other Cannabis Act offences," such as possession, production, sale, distribution or importation of anything for use in production or distribution of illicit cannabis, and use of a young person in the commission of a cannabis offence.
Table note 5
In April 2008, the Uniform Crime Reporting Survey began counting violations involving methamphetamines (for example, crystal meth and ecstasy [MDA or MDMA]) under their own unique violation codes. Prior to this, violations involving methamphetamines and ecstasy were counted under the category of "other drugs." Therefore, the percentage change from 2008 to 2018 for violations involving methamphetamines, ecstasy or "other drugs" is not shown.
Table note 6
In November 2017, the Uniform Crime Reporting Survey began counting violations involving opioids (other than heroin) under their own unique violation codes. Prior to this, violations involving opioids (including fentanyl) were counted within the category of "other drugs." Therefore, the percentage change from 2017 to 2018, and from 2008 to 2018 for violations involving opioids or "other drugs" is not shown.
Table note 7
Includes all other drugs listed under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA), such as prescription drugs, barbiturates, LSD and "drugs used to facilitate sexual assault." Trafficking and production of other drugs includes the possession, production, sale or importation of anything (such as precursors) with the knowledge that it will be used in the production or trafficking of a controlled substance (as defined in section 2(1) of the CDSA).
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