Six years after Canada legalized marijuana sales nationwide, a new government report shows that daily or near-daily use rates by both adults and youth have held steady. Additionally, the majority of consumers say they obtain cannabis legally, with only 3% of respondents reporting purchasing from illicit sources.
By comparison, in 2019—a year after shops opened—16% reported buying marijuana from an illegal source, according to Marijuana Moment.
Published annually since 2017, the survey is aimed at helping officials “better understand where support is needed the most” and informing Health Canada initiatives meant to “educate and raise awareness around the use of cannabis.”
Canada Smoking Use Declines
With data being collected between April 4th to July 2nd, 2024, the Health Canada report also found that the proportion of respondents who report smoking cannabis continues to decline. That said, smoking remains the most common method of consuming cannabis (69%), followed by eating (57%) and vaporizing with a vape pen or e-cigarette (37%).
Unfortunately, the report found no change in rates of cannabis use among youth (age 16-19) over the past year. Past 12-month cannabis use among youth aged 16-19 was 41%, similar to several previous years (44%, 44%, and 43% in 2019, 2020 and 2023 respectively).
However, the report did find that driving immediately after consuming cannabis has declined over the years. Eighteen percent of people who had used cannabis in the past 12 months reported driving after cannabis use, a significant decline from 27% in 2018.
