The proportion of Quebecers aged 15 and over having used cannabis decreased from 2022 to 2023, indicate data from the Institut de la tourisme du Québec (ISQ) revealed Thursday morning.
Last year, nearly 17% of the population aged 15 and over had used cannabis in the last 12 months, while this proportion would be 19% in 2022.
In all age groups analyzed, a decline is observed. Among 15-20 year olds, the proportion of cannabis users increased from 25% to 23% and among those aged 35 and over it increased from 14% to 12%.
The 2023 Quebec Cannabis Survey was carried out among 13,200 people from February to July. Remember that last October, Canada and Quebec marked five years of the legalization of cannabis.
According to data, almost half of people aged 15 and over have used cannabis in their lifetime. There is a greater proportion among men than among women, 51% versus 43%.
The 21-24 year old group is the one with the highest share (38%) of people having used in 2023. Of this group, 52% used cannabis for the first time before the age of 21.
In its report, the ISQ indicates that “monitoring the prevalence of consumption among those under 21 remains a public health priority; we must not forget that people in this age group are not of legal age to possess or obtain cannabis in Quebec. »
Vaping
The data collected also shows that nearly 73% of young people aged 15 to 17 who have consumed cannabis did so by vaping. This rate is 55% among 18-20 year olds having used cannabis in the last year.
Nearly half of young people aged 15 to 20 who vaped cannabis in the past year did so one day per month, and about a quarter did so one to three days per month.
In a press release, the ISQ emphasizes that even if the frequency is low, “vaping cannabis could be risky among young people, because they are proportionally less likely than their elders to know the quantity of THC contained in the products they use. they vape.”
Moreover, 28% of cannabis vapers do not know the cannabinoid content of what they vape. The majority of people who have vaped cannabis primarily use cannabis products containing exclusively tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or more THC than cannabidiol (CBD).
Cannabis vaping products are not available on the legal market in Quebec. The survey data indicates that 67% of people who vaped cannabis obtained products from a family member, friend or acquaintance. A quarter went to a legal source in another province, while 11% got their supplies on the illegal market and 23% on the Internet.
Furthermore, several cannabis-derived products are available in SQDC branches, such as fruit juices, crackers, sausages or dried fruits. Despite the emergence of such products on the legal market in recent years, the vast majority of Quebecers aged 15 and over (81%) who consume cannabis smoke it. Food products represent 31% of consumption and oral drops 23%.
Federal data related to economic activities associated with cannabis reflect what the ISQ found in its report. In Quebec as across the country, the cannabis market gradually gained strength in the few years following legalization, reached a plateau in 2022 and followed a decline in 2023.
The next ISQ surveys on the issue will make it possible to determine whether consumption tends to decrease in the long term.
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