Statistics Canada has produced some new figures regarding who is using cannabis in this country. More than 4 million citizens age 15 or older reported using marijuana in the previous three months. Of that number, 40% said they used it daily. And it’s more a younger person’s indulgence. Nearly one in four people under age 35 reported using it compared to 10% for those over 45. The biggest user group is the 25-34 demo and the smallest is those 65 and over. Nearly a quarter of respondents said they spent more than $250 on cannabis products in the past three months. And ¾ of people are much more likely to reach for the traditional dried leaves, with edibles coming in second and other forms farther down the list. More than 70% of respondents said they get their weed from only one source with friend or family member being the main one, followed by an acquaintance. Less common are dispensaries, online producers and authorized retailers. Half of consumers said they’d change how they buy their weed after legalization and if it was legalized tomorrow, 80% of Canadians say it wouldn’t change how much they consume regardless of whether they’re regular users or not. Of those who haven’t used cannabis in the past three months, a small number, 6%, said they’d likely try it or increase consumption after legalization. I wonder if the percentage of those over 65, many of whom are retired, will increase once it’s legal? I have a feeling it might.
That’s Coffeetalk. I’m Vic Dubois.