Canadians have not shown a significant increase in cannabis use, according to a survey released last week by Health Canada.
Health Canada has published the results of its 2023 Canadian Cannabis Survey, which has indicated that among respondents, the use of pot has been stable, with 25 per cent of those saying they use it almost every day. That includes 20 per cent of youth. This trend has been in place since 2018, the second year of the survey.
Young people have also not shown a significant increase in the use of cannabis.
"There was no clear trend for past 12-month cannabis use among youth aged 16-19," read the summary from Health Canada. "In 2023, 43 per cent of youth reported using cannabis at least once in the past 12 months, an increase compared to 2022 and 2018, which had rates of 37 per cent and 36 percent, respectively. However, this rate was similar to that in 2019 and 2020."
The proportion of those who smoke cannabis is on the decline, according to the survey, with 63 per cent of users who have smoked it, followed by 52 per cent who have eaten it, and 33 per cent who have vaped.
Legal cannabis businesses have remained the go-to places for obtaining pot, with 73 per cent of those interviewed saying they got their stash from a legal source, such as a retail storefront or online portal. The amount of cannabis obtained through illegal means has dropped.
Drivers also appear to have gotten the message about not driving while high. The survey showed that those who admitted driving after recent use has been steady at around 16 per cent since 2021.
The survey is taken annually as part of the federal Cannabis Act to gauge trends in the use of pot.
Complete details of the 2023 Canadian Cannabis Survey are available on the official Health Canada website.
