Cannabis Survey Finds 64% of Canadians Support Legalization 5 Years On

A recent cannabis survey revealed that the majority of Canadians still support the legalization of recreational cannabis. The Cannabis Act came into force in 2018 and soon after provincial and territorial governments began drafting legislation about cannabis licensing, distribution and use in their jurisdictions. View Canadian Cannabis Laws by province or territory.

What do Canadians think about legalization and other relevant issues now?

In October 2023, Research Co. conducted an online survey of 1,000 adults in Canada. The survey found that:

• 64% of Canadians agree with legalization while 31% disagree
• Support of legalization is highest among Canadians who are 55 years of age or older (66%) followed by ages 35-54 (56%) and 18-48 (48%)
• Over half of respondents said they have never consumed marijuana
• 13% said they only used cannabis after it became legal
• 48% of respondents who said they consume cannabis claimed that they purchased all of their supply from licensed retailers, while 17% said that none of the cannabis they purchase comes from a licensed retailer
• 3/5 (60%) of survey respondents agreed that companies should be allowed to drug test their employees
• Almost 70% of respondents said they support federal expungement of records for people convicted of possession of cannabis for personal use with no intent to traffic

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Thrive Liquor & Cannabis Advisors provides cannabis retailers the guidance and advice needed to start and run a successful cannabis store. If you need help with a retail cannabis license or public consultation strategy, our consultants make it easy!