Canadians are slowly moving away from smokable cannabis products, according to the results of Health Canada’s 2022 Canadian Cannabis Survey.
The sixth annual survey gives a snapshot of how approximately 10,000 residents, age 16 and older, perceived of and used cannabis between April and June 2022. The data provides governing officials with a better understanding of the cannabis market so they can monitor and control the national industry.
Key findings from the 2022 survey include:
– 27% reported using cannabis in the past year; up 2% from 2021.
– 61% of consumers purchased it from a legal store; up 9% from 2021.
– 48% report always buying from licensed stores; 67% report never buying illegal product.
– 50% of respondents age 20-24 used cannabis in 2022; 37% for those age 16-19.
– 18% used cannabis daily; 34% say less than once a month.
– 65% smoked flower; down 3% from 2021.
– 53% ate edibles; unchanged from 2021.
– 33% used a vaporizer or vape pen; up 4% from 2021.
– 89% find occasional alcohol use socially acceptable.
– 69% found occasional smoking or eating cannabis socially acceptable; 64% for vaporizing.
– 75% believe regularly vaporizing cannabis is a great health risk; 74% for smoking cannabis.
– 89% believe cannabis is habit forming; unchanged from 2021.
– 48% of consumers found cannabis use beneficial to their mental health.
– $65 was the reported average price to buy legal cannabis; $19 for illegal cannabis.
– 23% reported driving within two hours after consuming cannabis; 2% increase from 2021.
– 13% used cannabis for medicinal purposes; down 1% from 2021.
– 45% of legal products were from retail stores; 28% from online; 8% from home cultivation.
– 1% reported accidental consumption by a household member or pet.
— Patrick Wagner