A new poll reveals that while Canadians broadly endorse cannabis legalization, only half of users are purchasing exclusively from licensed retailers.
As Canada approaches the five-year mark since marijuana was legalized, a majority of Canadians continue to support the decision.
However, a new poll conducted by Research Co. suggests that only 51% of cannabis users have acquired all their products from licensed retailers in that time, highlighting a persistent reliance on unregulated sources.
In the poll, conducted with a representative national sample, 62% of Canadians stated they still support marijuana being legal—a slight 2% dip since October 2023—while 33% disagree, and 4% remain undecided.
Support for legalized cannabis varies by province, with the highest approval rates in Quebec (66%), followed closely by Alberta and Ontario (both at 64%), British Columbia (60%), Atlantic Canada (56%), and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (53%).
The poll also found that Canadians of Indigenous (75%) and European (67%) descent are more likely to favour legalization than those of South Asian (57%) or East Asian (45%) backgrounds.
“Marijuana legalization has consistently been supported by over three-in-five Canadians,” says Mario Canseco, President of Research Co.
“But opposition has now reached 33% for the first time since we began tracking this data.”
The survey shows a split in consumer habits. Among Canadians who have used marijuana since legalization in October 2018, only 51% said they bought all their products from licensed retailers. Another 40% said most, some, or none of their cannabis came from legal sources.
By province, the percentage of consumers purchasing exclusively from licensed retailers is highest in Alberta (55%), Saskatchewan and Manitoba (also 55%), and Ontario (53%). However, it is lower in Quebec (49%), Atlantic Canada (47%), and British Columbia (39%).
As more Canadians become accustomed to legalization, 63% (+5%) believe companies should be able to administer drug tests to employees—support for this policy spans across age groups, including 66% of those aged 55 and over, 63% of those aged 18 to 34, and 60% of those aged 35 to 54.
On the legal front, nearly three-quarters of Canadians (74%, +5) agree with the federal government’s decision to expunge the records of individuals convicted for possessing cannabis for personal use, without intent to traffic.
Support for expungement is highest among those who voted for the Liberal Party (82%), the New Democratic Party (77%), and the Conservative Party (75%) in the 2021 federal election.
When it comes to other drugs, only a small percentage favour the legalization of ecstasy (15%, +3), powder cocaine (14%, +2), heroin (12%, +2), crack cocaine (12%, +2), methamphetamine (12%, +3), and fentanyl (10%, +1).
The results are based on an online survey conducted from October 11th to October 13th, 2023, among 1,000 adults across Canada.
The data was statistically weighted according to Canadian census figures for age, gender, and region. The margin of error—which measures sample variability—is +/- 3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.
