Canadian Marijuana Consumers Spend Less on Cannabis, Legal Purchases Increase

According to a report by Lesaffaires on January 12th, the Canadian Department of Health conducted a statistical survey revealing that Canadian marijuana consumers have reduced their monthly spending on marijuana from $73 in 2018 to $63 in the past 12 months.

A recent annual cannabis consumer survey conducted in Ottawa revealed that in 2023, 73% of respondents claimed to have purchased cannabis through legal means, nearly double the figure from 2019. The proportion of cannabis purchases made through legal avenues has now risen to 70%.

The investigation further revealed that despite the increasing number of Canadians purchasing marijuana through legal means, smoking remains the most prevalent method of consumption for marijuana in 2023, accounting for 63%. This is followed by the consumption of marijuana-infused products at a rate of 52%, and the use of e-cigarettes or vape pens, accounting for 33%.

According to the Canadian Ministry of Health, the proportion of respondents who consume marijuana daily or almost daily has remained relatively stable since 2018, averaging around 25% overall, with approximately 20% being young people. There have been no significant new trends in marijuana consumption among young people aged 16 to 19 in the past 12 months.

A total of 11,690 Canadians participated in the survey conducted between May and July 2023. Industry experts point out that there may be some bias in the data regarding marijuana, as respondents may be unwilling to admit to purchasing marijuana from the "black market".