Abstract
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Background
The Canadian federal government legalized non-medical cannabis use by adults in October 2018. Ongoing monitoring of the effects of the change is needed because uncertainty remains about the impact of the legislation on cannabis use behaviours and whether the impact will affect some more than others.
Data and methods
Data from the Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey and the Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey were used to examine longer-term (historical) rates of use during 2004 to 2017. Five iterations of the National Cannabis Surveys (NCS) (2018-2019) were used to examine current use (overall, daily or almost daily (DAD), quantities, and types of products) in the months before and after legalization.
Results
From 2004 through 2017 cannabis use decreased among 15 to 17 year olds, remained stable for 18 to 24 year olds, and increased among adults aged 25 to 64. During 2018 and into 2019, rates of cannabis use increased overall from 14% to 18%; with statistically significant increases also for males generally (16% to 22%) and males aged 18 to 64. Rates of cannabis use remained largely stable for females (13%) and seniors (4%). In 2019, about 60% of consumers reported using one cannabis product; use of dried cannabis (flower/leaf) was the most common (84.2%). The average user consumed 27.5 grams of dried cannabis (flower/leaf) over three months; amounts consumed varied depending on use frequency (e.g. occasional users: 2.6 grams/3 months versus DAD users: 62.6 grams/3 months).
Interpretation
Results highlight the importance of understanding pre-legalization behaviours as changes in use after legalization may have begun prior to the legislation. NCS allows for the early impacts of legalisation to be examined and provides a picture of not only changes in who is using but also what and how much.
Keywords
Trend analysis, legalization, Cannabis Act, C-45, controlled and illegal drugs, marijuana, substance use
DOI: https://www.doi.org/10.25318/82-003-x201900600001-eng
Findings
Cannabis is one of the most widely used substance in Canada with close to half of all Canadians aged 15 or older reporting having tried it. [Full article]
Authors
Michelle Rotermann (michelle.rotermann@canada.ca) is with the Health Analysis Division at Statistics Canada, Ottawa, Ontario.
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What is already known on this subject?
- Cannabis remains one of the most widely used drugs in Canada.
- Cannabis use, particularly daily (regular) has been associated with adverse effects, including dependency.
- The prevalence of past-year cannabis use tends to be highest at ages 18 to 24 and higher among males than among females.
- Legalization of non-medical cannabis use by adults was preceded by the legalized use for medical purposes nearly two decades earlier; the Cannabis Act is scheduled for amendments by October 2019 to allow for the legal sale of additional cannabis products, including edibles, concentrates and topicals.
What does this study add?
- National Cannabis Survey 2018-2019 can be used to examine not only overall and daily/almost daily (DAD) use in the months immediately before and after legalization but also used to address some data gaps, including: more detailed information about cannabis product types, and quantities consumed (dried flower/leaf).
- Monitoring of historical trends (2004 through 2017) can be examined with data from the Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey and the Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey.
- During 2004-2017, the prevalence of cannabis use increased overall, but remained stable or decreasing among 15-to-24 year olds, and increased among people aged 25 to 64.
- By Quarter 1 2019, about 5.3 million or 18% of Canadians aged 15 years and older reported using cannabis in the past three months. This was higher than the 14% who reported using just one year earlier, before legalization. The increase in cannabis use between the first quarters of 2018 and 2019 can be partly explained by greater use among males (rates rose from 16% to 22%) and people aged 45 to 64 (9% to 14%). Levels of consumption remained stable for females, at 13%, and seniors (4%).
- The percentages of Canadians reporting DAD use also remained unchanged at 6.1% from Q1 2018 through Q1 2019.
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