Canadians Embrace Cannabis: Seven Years After Legalization, Support and Use Reach New Highs

It’s been seven years since cannabis became legal across Canada. A new poll shows that Canadians are increasingly appreciative of the cannabis industry. A majority (59%) consider it a “significant contributor” to the national economy. Furthermore,cannabis use has nearly equaled the popularity of nicotine.

The survey was conducted by Abacus Data on behalf of Organizgram Global. The results indicate a clear shift in perceptions of the cannabis market.

The Cannabis Market Is Important to the Canadian Economy. What Does the Survey Say?

Support for the cannabis industry is growing. Fifty-nine percent of Canadians now consider it important to the economy. This is a two-point increase from 57% in April.

Interestingly, this support unites voters across parties. 69% of recent Liberal voters and 58% of recent Conservative voters see the industry as having a positive economic impact.

David Coletto, CEO of Abacus Data, commented on these results. He noted that Canadians are combining economic resilience with sound national policies. In times of global uncertainty, they see the development of a legal cannabis sector as a way to strengthen the economy and build greater industrial independence.

Canadians want further reforms to the marijuana market

The survey also shows that Canadians are not willing to stand still. A full 59% of respondents prefer updated regulations to support continued industry growth. A minority prefers to maintain current restrictions.

Moreover, 58% of people are either excited or neutral about government measures to support the market, primarily aimed at facilitating job creation in the sector.

What changes do citizens expect?

Respondents identified specific areas requiring reform. The most popular proposals include:

Expanding regulatory oversight (47%) to include health and agriculture agencies.
Fighting the black market (43%) – more proactive measures needed.
Tax cut (33%) – or introducing tax breaks for cannabis companies that create jobs.
Infrastructure development (31%) – to enable the creation of new types of products (e.g. beverages, wellness products).

“Canadians are ready for the legal cannabis sector to become a pillar of our economic growth strategy,” said Beena Goldenberg, CEO of Organigram Global.

Surprising Statistics: Marijuana as Popular as Nicotine

The Abacus Data survey also yielded interesting data about consumers themselves. It turns out that:

35% of Canadians have used cannabis in the last month.
32% of Canadians have used cannabis in the last two weeks.
The most striking comparison, however, is the one with nicotine. In the past two weeks, 32% of respondents used marijuana, compared to 33% who used nicotine. The difference is within the margin of error. This means that marijuana is now as popular as nicotine in Canada.

This data confirms previous research, which indicated that as legalization progresses, more people are choosing cannabis over tobacco.

How has legalization affected Canada over the past 7 years?

While Canada’s legalization program had its initial problems, research indicates that it has been a success overall.

Above all, one of the main goals was achieved: adult Canadians gained a safe and regulated alternative to the black market. At the same time, prohibitionists’ fears were unfounded – legalization did not increase consumption among young people.

A government report last year found that the “vast majority” of consumers now buy cannabis legally. Only 3% of respondents admitted to purchasing from illegal sources.

Other studies also show interesting substitution effects. One report this year found that cannabis legalization was associated with a decline in beer sales. This demonstrates that consumers can change their preferences.

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(Featured image by Matt Wang via Unsplash)

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