Challenging Illegal Cannabis

"Numbers show that 16 per cent of Albertans, aged 15 and older, have consumed marijuana in the last three months, down from 17 per cent reported between Aug. 16 and Sept. 12 — shortly before marijuana became legal in Canada on Oct. 17. The national average of consumption, according to Statistics Canada, is around 15 per cent."
"Maritimers continue to light up more than the rest of the country, with just below 22 per cent of Nova Scotians who have reported consuming marijuana in the last three months leading the pack. Newfoundlanders are trailing just behind at 19 per cent, followed by New Brunswick at 18.9 per cent, and Prince Edward Island at 17.9 per cent."
"Alongside Alberta, British Columbia has also seen a slight decrease in reported marijuana consumption — albeit more significant: around 15 per cent reported smoking weed in the last three months after legalization, versus 20 per cent who reported using cannabis just before. Manitoba has also seen a decrease, with 15 per cent reporting use of marijuana, down from 19 per cent before legalization"

A vendor displays marijuana for sale in Vancouver, B.C. Statistics Canada data shows that marijuana consumption has relatively stayed the same since legalization, and dropped in British Columbia and Manitoba.  (Darryl Dyck / The Canadian Press file)

A national cannabis survey was released on Thursday by Statistics Canada which found that non-medical cannabis users were less likely to obtain their cannabis legally. Surprising, since of course when the federal government brought in legalization of recreational cannabis in October of 2018, to great self-congratulatory plaudits, it emphasized that this would set the death knell to the illegal sale of marijuana while at the same time legal sales would ensure that pot wouldn't be getting into the hands of minors.

What the survey brought to light was, without doubt, surprising. Only 26 percent of non-medical cannabis users claimed to have purchased cannabis from authorized retailers or online producers. Of course some of this expectation lag can be attributed to the initial roll-out of the new system, where provinces are in various stages of authorizing legal pot outlets and where even government-approved sales outlets have been faced with product shortages from producers.

Still, according to Stats Canada, 42 percent of non-medical users state the cannabis they use has been illegally obtained; through drug dealers, or for example compassion clubs, unlicensed dispensaries or storefronts, or through unlicensed websites. Somewhat adverse to the claims by the federal government that the illicit drug trade would become extinct and in the final analysis, public safety would be greatly enhanced.

Statistics Canada’s national cannabis survey also revealed that 42 per cent of non-medical users say they obtained cannabis illegally, such as through drug dealers, compassion clubs, unlicensed dispensaries or storefronts, and unlicensed websites.  (Tijana Martin / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

The statistics-gathering agency of the Government of Canada is doing its work, maintaining track on the use, sales and prices of the product. The agency a month earlier reported the average price of a legal gram of medical or recreational marijuana in the fourth quarter of 2018 to be $9.70, while the black market price was ... $6.51. Old habits die hard, and they die harder when there is a sizzling price differential involved.

A third of consumers spent nothing on the marijuana they consumed, presumably because they also grew it themselves, also legal under the law ... which permits four plants to be grown in a home. Over $500 was claimed to have been spent by roughly 8 percent of respondent users, about $40 weekly, consistent according to Statistics Canada, with the spending pattern seen in the previous quarter.

According to consumers, quality and safety of product is uppermost in mind in deciding where to purchase. Price and accessibility are secondary, evidently.

Close to one in five Canadians (19 percent) plan to use cannabis in the next three months, representing a higher number than those reporting use at the present time. Oddly enough, fewer people appear to be using now than before legalization. For the present, however, 4.6 million or 15 percent of the population of Canadians over age 15 has reported using cannabis in the past three months; one quarter for medicinal reasons, the rest for non-medical use.

Cannabis use (%)
Fourth quarter 2018

Canada    15.4
Newfoundland and Labrador    19.2
Prince Edward Island    17.9
Nova Scotia    21.6
New Brunswick    18.9
Quebec    13.6
Ontario    15.4
Manitoba    15.1
Saskatchewan    16.5
Alberta    16.2
British Columbia    15.3



Cannabis use in the past three months by gender, Canada
Male    19.4
Female    11.3


Cannabis use in the past three months by age, Canada
15 to 24 years    27.4
25 to 34 years    23.2
35 to 44 years    17.5
45 to 54 years    12.8
55 to 64 years    10.4
65 years and over    5.2

Source(s): Statistics Canada, table 13-10-0383-01.