The Canadian Cannabis Survey (CCS) 2024, released by Health Canada on December 6, offers fresh insights into public attitudes, behaviors and trends surrounding cannabis consumption in Canada.
The survey, conducted between April 4 and July 2, 2024, reveals significant changes in how Canadians engage with cannabis and how they perceive its effects, providing crucial data for shaping future public health initiatives.
Decline In Smoking, Rise In Legal Access
One of the most notable trends in the 2024 survey is the continued decline in smoking cannabis.
While smoking remains the most common method of consumption at 69%, it is followed by eating cannabis (57%) and vaporizing with a vape pen or e-cigarette (37%).
This shift may indicate a growing preference for alternative consumption methods that carry fewer health risks compared to smoking.
Perhaps more striking is the increase in the number of Canadians accessing cannabis from legal sources.
In 2019, only 37% of respondents reported getting their marijuana from a legal source (legal shop or website); by 2024, this figure has more than doubled, reaching 72%.
As for the remaining nearly one-third, 15% reported obtaining their weed from friends, family members, or acquaintance. 5% reported growing their own or having it specifically grown for them; 3% reported using an illegal purchase source, shop, website or dealer, down from 2018. 2% reported utilizing another source, unchanged from 2018 and 2% reported getting their cannabis from a storefront on a First Nations community.
This data reflects the growing normalization of legal cannabis dispensaries, with 72% of respondents citing legal storefronts as their primary source. Illegal sources now account for just 3% of cannabis purchases, down from 16% in 2019.
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Cannabis Use Among Youth Is Stable
The overall percentage of Canadians who report using cannabis daily or almost daily has remained steady at around 25%, with no significant increase since 2018. Among youth, the rate of daily use hovers around 20%. The proportion of high-risk cannabis users—those who are at risk of developing dependency or other negative outcomes—remains stable at approximately 3%.
The survey found no significant change in the rate of cannabis use among youth aged 16-19, which has stabilized around 41%.
Among this group, approximately 20% report daily or near-daily use, a trend that continues to raise alarms among Health authorities in Canada, who worry about potential long-term health effects, especially considering the ongoing development of the adolescent brain until around age 25.
Health Canada has responded to these concerns with targeted public education campaigns aimed at reducing cannabis-related harms among youth.
Driving Under The Influence: A Positive Shift
The survey also highlighted a promising decline in cannabis-affected driving.
In 2024, 18% of cannabis users reported driving after consuming the substance in the past 12 months, a significant reduction from 27% in 2018.
This shift may be attributed to growing public awareness campaigns, including those launched by Health Canada, which emphasize the dangers of impaired driving and the legal consequences associated with it.
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2024: Pre-rolls And Edibles Are Preferred
The 2024 survey also introduced new topics of focus, such as the use of pre-rolled and infused joints, as well as the growing popularity of cannabis edibles.
The survey shows that nearly two-thirds of those who consumed dried flower/leaf purchased at least some pre-rolled joints (65%), while 20% reported purchasing all dried flower/leaf as pre-rolls
For 30% of participants, pre-rolls were a small part of their normal purchase, accounting for less than 10% of the dried flower/leaf bag.
Approximately 43% of those who purchased pre-rolled joints purchased at least some infused with high-potency oils or concentrates.
As for edibles, consumers lean towards gummies (91%), chocolate (31%), cookies (18%) and brownies (15%).
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