High Ground takes place on October 4-6, 2024, at the Cowichan Exhibition Grounds in Duncan, B.C. (Photo 74509974 © Openrangestock | Dreamstime.com)

By Derek Cornet

online survey

New poll shows nearly half of Canadians have tried cannabis

Nov 2, 2023 | 4:16 PM

A new Research Co. poll has found nearly 64 per cent of Canadians agree with cannabis being legal, while 31 per cent disagree.

The poll was published last week and were the results of an online survey of a representative national sample. The poll also showed 53 per cent of Canadians claim to have never consumed marijuana in the country, while a third reported they tried cannabis before legalization and 13 per cent noted they only used it after it became legal in October 2018.

“Support for the legalization of marijuana is highest among Canadians aged 55 and over (66 per cent),” said Mario Canseco, the President of Research Co.

“The proportions are lower among those aged 35-to-54 (56 per cent) and those aged 18-to-34 (48 per cent).”

Fewer than one-in-eight Canadians believe it is time to legalize other substances such as ecstasy, powder cocaine, heroin, crack cocaine, methamphetamine or fentanyl.

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In addition, 58 per cent of Canadians think companies should be able to administer drug tests to any employee now that cannabis is legal, while 69 per cent are in favour of the federal government providing expungement orders to people convicted of possession of cannabis for personal use with no intent to traffic.

“In Canada, an expungement order compels police forces, federal departments or agencies to destroy or remove any judicial record of a conviction,” results of the poll states.

The idea of pardons for people convicted of possession of cannabis for personal use with no intent to traffic is most popular in Ontario (72 per cent), followed by Saskatchewan and Manitoba (71 per cent), Alberta (70 per cent), Quebec (68 per cent), and Atlantic Canada and British Columbia (65 per cent).

The poll adds Canadians who have consumed marijuana after legalization where asked where they bought their product. Almost half reported that “all” of their cannabis was acquired at a licensed retailer, while fewer than one-in-five noted “none” of it came from a licensed retailer.

Similar polls have also been released by other organizations in the lead up for the fifth anniversary of cannabis being legal in Canada. Pollara Strategic Insights also found the vast majority of Canadians approve of cannabis legalization.

A report released in October 2023 by Health Canada mentioned almost seven million Canadians have consumed cannabis in the last year, an increase of two million people since 2017.

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