New Canadian study says cannabis legalisation works.
The survey focuses on consumption habits and health
Health Canada, a department of the Ministry of Health, has been conducting an annual survey of the population since 2017 to determine how cannabis is used. These surveys always focus on consumption habits and the health effects on the population.
The most recent survey was conducted last year, and 16,000 people aged 16 and over were interviewed. It seems to show that, in this case, one of the arguments repeatedly cited by cannabis opponents, namely that consumption increases with legalisation, is untrue.
Consumption has decreased among young people aged 16 to 19. 41% of young people reported having consumed cannabis in the last year. In 2023, this figure was 43%. In previous years, it was 44%. The proportion of adults who consume regularly is 25%. This figure is the same as in the last few years since 2018. So there has certainly been no increase. Consumption, especially among young people, has even declined slightly.
The black market, which cannabis opponents claim is growing ever larger, has also shrunk significantly in Canada. Only three per cent of consumers reported obtaining their cannabis on the street. Just a few years ago (2019), the proportion of black market buyers was still at 16%. Why would anyone buy a product on the street when they can presumably have it quality-checked in a store?
In general, it can be said that legalisation neither increases consumption nor makes young people particularly vulnerable nor does crime spread further. The latter, in particular, is due to illegality. It's no intellectual feat to recognise this connection. However, it is doubtful that studies of this kind are even taken into account by cannabis opponents.
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Liz Filmer
