62% Of Canadians Still Approve Of Cannabis Legalization

Canada became the second country on the planet and the first G-7 nation to adopt a national adult-use legalization measure in 2018. The only country to do so before Canada was Uruguay, where lawmakers approved a national adult-use legalization measure in 2013.

However, unlike Uruguay where legal recreational cannabis sales are limited to residents only, Canada permits recreational cannabis sales across the country to anyone of legal age. The legal age for cannabis purchases in Canada at the federal level is 18 years old, although provinces and territories can set a higher age limit.

The recreational cannabis commerce system in Canada is the most robust on earth. In addition to Uruguay and Canada, cannabis is also legal for recreational purposes at a national level in Malta, Luxembourg, Germany, and South Africa. Canada is the only nation on that list that permits nationwide sales to adult non-residents.

Investigators affiliated with Research Co. recently surveyed Canadians to determine the level of support for legalization six years after implementation. The survey results are based on an online survey conducted from October 13 to October 15, 2024, among 1,001 adults in Canada.

“In the online survey of a representative national sample, 62% of Canadians (-2 since a similar Research Co. poll conducted in October 2023) agree with marijuana being legal in Canada, while 33% disagree and 4% are undecided.” Research Co. stated about the results.

“Agreement with legal cannabis in Canada is highest in Quebec (66%), followed by Alberta (64%), Ontario (also 64%), British Columbia (60%), Atlantic Canada (56%) and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (53%).” the researchers also stated.

Research Co. also determined the following:

• 33% of Canadians report having tried cannabis before it was legal
• 14% only did so after legalization
• 51% of consumers report making all of their purchases through licensed retailers
• 74% support expunging charges for people convicted of possession of cannabis for personal use

Recreational cannabis is currently legal in two dozen states in the U.S. and in Washington D.C. Regional adult-use cannabis commerce pilot trials are operating in the Netherlands and Switzerland, and courts in a handful of other nations have rendered decisions providing some level of protection to adult cannabis consumers.