Cannabis use rises in Canada after legalisation, survey finds
The price of cannabis herb sold legally has dropped from $10.70 in 2019 to $6.12 in 2022, significantly bridging the price difference with illegally supplied cannabis, which stood at €8.19 in 2019 to $5.48 in 2022.
Cannabis use increased noticeably in Canada after its use and sale and was legalised in 2018, an international study has found.
The research also documents a considerable drop in the price of legal cannabis herb, the single biggest form of the drug, bridging the initial gap in price with illegal supplies of the drug.
The International Cannabis Policy Study, which is conducted annually, reveals a significant shift in the supply source for users, with the majority now buying from legal stores and not from illegal drug dealers.
The findings come as the Citizens’ Assembly on Drugs in Ireland narrowly
voted against recommending the legalisation of cannabis.
The final vote found 39 members in favour of a “comprehensive health-led” approach, which would involve some form of decriminalisation, and 38 in favour of legalisation.
Assembly chair Paul Reid said the report they will be submitting to the Government and the Oireachtas in December would highlight the views of members that cannabis should be treated differently than other drugs.
The Canadian study found that recent use of cannabis jumped after the first year of legalisation and then plateaued. Monthly use continued to rise in the first three years, reaching a peak in 2021, before dropping slightly in 2022.
Daily or near-daily use also rose steadily in the first three years, dropping off slightly in 2022.
A breakdown shows:
- Use in the past 12 months rose from 28% in 2018, to 35% in 2019 and then to 34% in 2020, 36% in 2021 and 35% in 2022;
- Use in the past month increased from 19% in 2018, to 24% in 2019 and again in 2020, up to 27% in 2021 and down to 25% in 2022;
- Daily or near-daily use increased from 9% in 2018 to 11% in 2019, to 12% in 2020 and to 14% in 2021, dropping to 12% in 2022
Among past month users, 40% said they used it to help with anxiety, 30% to help with depression and 11% with trauma.
In relation to physical health, 35% of past month users said they took cannabis to help sleep and 33% to help ease pain.
The survey shows a dramatic change in the type of cannabis products being legally sold, with herb, or dried flower, dropping from 81% in 2018 to 68% in 2022.
Cannabis edibles have risen from 34% to 52% in the same period, while cannabis vapes have increased from 21% to 31% and hash drinks from 8% to 21%.
There has also been the emergence of ‘flavoured’ cannabis herb, with various fruit and sweet flavours the most popular.
The price of cannabis herb sold legally has dropped from $10.70 in 2019 to $6.12 in 2022, significantly bridging the price difference with illegally supplied cannabis, which stood at €8.19 in 2019 to $5.48 in 2022.
Among past month users there has been a significant jump in those buying their drugs from legal stores: 19% in 2018 to 59% in 2022.
Those buying cannabis from a drug dealer dropped from 36% in 2018 to 15% in 2022.
Among past year users, there has been an increase in those who have driven a vehicle within two hours of taking cannabis – from 10% in 2018 to 14% in 2022.
Some 8% of past year users said they have sought medical help for an adverse event after taking cannabis.
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