To understand how legalization may (or may not) have changed Canadians' behaviours and attitudes towards cannabis, Dig Insights conducted an online survey with 1,000 Canadians.
To benchmark results, the data was compared to Dig's annual cannabis tracker.
Report on Cannabis Behaviours and Attitudes Post-Legalization
1. Legalization of
Cannabis in Canada
Attitudes and Behaviours of Canadians
Following Legalization
November 2018
372 Bay Street, 16th Floor
Toronto, Canada
M5H 2W9
Rory McGee
+1.236.818.4556
yourname@diginsights.com
2. 2
Research Summary
One Page Snapshot of Our Dig-sponsored Research
BACKGROUND
TECHNICAL
DETAILS
To help our clients in the cannabis space understand how
legalization is changing attitudes and behaviours, Dig conducted a
short survey.
An online survey with n=1,000 Canadians. Respondents were
recruited to achieve a nationally representative sample across age,
gender, and province.
The survey was in field from October 26th – October 31st, 2018.
On some slides, results are compared to pre-legalization benchmarks
collected in May 2018 as part of Dig’s annual tracking report.
3. 3
Report Contents
This report has been divided into the following four sections:
Consumption/
Support for
Cannabis
Legalization in
Canada
1
Legal Cannabis
Store Visitation
and Purchase
2
Frequency and
Primary Use of
Cannabis
3
Interest in
Learning About
Benefits and
Detriments of
Cannabis
4
5. 5
Consumption of recreational cannabis nor the intent to consume
cannabis in the future have changed since legalization.
P12M
Recreational
Cannabis
Consumption
(%)
18
20
18
18
64
62
Post-legalization
Pre-legalization 2018
Current users Potential Users Rejecters Used Non-Recreationally*
There has been no shift in support for cannabis legalization.
45Post-
Legalization 46 Pre-Legalization
2018
(May 2018)
% Strongly/
Somewhat Support
Support among potential users
has decreased since April
(69% vs. 80%)
6. 6
There are concerns about provincial governments’ preparation and
execution of cannabis legalization. 1-in-3 wish that edible cannabis
products were available legally.
Agreement With Statements About Legal Cannabis
(% Agree)
53
42
31
19
12
There are real risks to those who purchase cannabis, e.g. not getting in
to the US, getting their data stolen and exposed
Legalizing recreational cannabis was the right decision
I wish that edible cannabis products (e.g., gummies) were available
legally
There will be enough legal supply of cannabis to meet the demand
The provincial government was well prepared to sell cannabis
Overall, only 1-in-8 think the provincial government was prepared.
Alberta is viewed as the most prepared province (21% agree).
Higher in BC (28%) and AB (27%).
Higher among males (46%)
Less of a concern for millennials (47%)
7. 7
14% report visiting their province’s cannabis store, but only 3%
reported making a purchase.
Store Visitation/Purchase
(%)
14
12
2
3
2
1
Online/In-person
Online
In-person
1-in-5
report being likely to
purchase from legal
channels in the future
6-in-10 of those who visited their province’s
online store want more information on how the
product works and its intended effects
Attitudes: Online Store Visitation
(%)
6-in-10 agree that many of the products
offered in the online store were sold out
Half enjoyed the experience and were
impressed with the selection of products
1-in-5 had trouble finding the brand or strain
that they wanted
8. 8
65 65
62 62 62 61 59
46 44
Impact on mental
health
Pain relief benefits Inflammation
reduction benefits
Impact on lung
health
Anxiety/stress relief
benefits
Impact on short
term memory
Sleep benefits The difference
between the strain
types
The difference
between the
specific strains
People want to know more about the potential benefits and
detriments of consuming cannabis.
Interest in Learning More
(% Interested)
10. 10
Cannabis consumption has not changed since legalization.
Q5. In the past year, have you smoked or consumed cannabis for recreational purposes?
Base: Total Sample (n=1,000); Pre-legalization 2018 (n=2,514)
Recreational Cannabis Consumption
(%)
18
yes
Oct 2018: Post-Legalization
20
yes
May 2018: Pre-Legalization
One-Week Post Legalization - % Yes
18-34
A
35-49
B
50-65
C
Male
D
Female
E
BC
F
AB
G
SK
H
MB
I
ON
J
QC
K
n=288 n=289 n=423 n=482 n=508 n=135 n=109 n=33* n=39* n=378 n=236
31 14 12 20 17 21 K 17 33 K 18 19 13
11. 11
The proportion of current users, potential users, and
rejecters remains unchanged post-legalization.
Q5. In the past year, have you smoked or consumed cannabis for recreational purposes?
Base: Total Sample (n=1,000); Pre-legalization 2018 (n=1,000)
Q6. Given that recreational cannabis is (pre-legalization) going to be (Post Legalization) now legal in Canada, how likely are you to try it in the future?
Base: Not used cannabis in past year (n=818); Pre-legalization 2018 (n=800)
Recreational Cannabis Stance
(%)
18 2 5 12 21 39 4Post-legalization
Used in Past Year Definitely try Probably try Might try Probably not try Definitely not try I don’t know
Rejecters
62%
Current Users
(Recreational)
18%
Potential
18%
Potential
18%
Rejecters
64%
Current Users
(Recreational)
20%
20 3 4 12 19 40 3Pre-legalization 2018
Oct 2018
May 2018
12. 12
22
56
30
9
23
29
39
17
23
9
23
27
14
4
5
20
18
2
3
27
Total
Current Users
Potential Users
Rejecters
Strongly support Somewhat support Neither support nor oppose Somewhat oppose Strongly oppose
Support for legalization remains unchanged.
• Only 1-in-4 (26%) Rejecters, i.e. those who are not interested in consuming cannabis, support legalization.
Q4. To what extent do you support or oppose the government's decision to legalize recreational cannabis, i.e. marijuana, in Canada?
Base: One-week post legalization: Total Sample (n=1,000); Current users (n=182); Potential users (n=182); Rejecters (n=636)
Pre-Legalization 2018: Total Sample (n=2,514), Current users (n=1,203); Potential users (n=904); Rejecters (n=407)
*Caution: Small base size (n<50). Treat results as directional only.
Support for Cannabis Legalization
(%)
45 46
85 84
69 80
26 23
% Strongly/ Somewhat Support
Pre-Legalization
% Strongly/Somewhat Support
18-34
A
35-49
B
50-65
C
Male
D
Female
E
BC
F
AB
G
SK
H
MB
I
ON
J
QC
K
n=288 n=289 n=423 n=482 n=508 n=135 n=109 n=33* n=39* n=378 n=236
52 39 43 48 42 50 K 45 55 51 43 38
A
B
C
Post-
Legalization
Oct 2018 May 2018
13. 13
Licensed producers should prioritize supply for their medical
patients over recreational demand
There are real risks to those who purchase cannabis, e.g. not
getting in to the US, getting their data stolen and exposed
More people are going to consume cannabis now that it’s
legal
Legalizing recreational cannabis was the right decision
I wish that edible cannabis products (e.g., gummies) were
available legally
I am concerned about the difference in pricing between
medical and recreational cannabis
I can get cheaper cannabis from the black/grey market
There will be enough legal supply of cannabis to meet the
demand
The price for legal cannabis is too high
The provincial government was well prepared to sell cannabis
40
24
17
20
13
7
10
5
7
3
29
30
34
22
18
16
10
14
11
10
19
23
20
21
28
36
21
20
29
19
3
8
16
11
8
5
4
23
5
26
4
5
8
22
26
8
3
15
6
33
5
12
6
5
8
28
53
24
43
10
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Neither agree nor disagree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree Don’t know / unsure
Only 1-in-8 (12%) Canadians agree their provincial
government was well prepared to sell cannabis.
• 2-in-3 current users and half of potential users agree that they wish edible cannabis products were available legally.
• Over half of Canadians believe there are risks (issues getting across the US border, data privacy) to purchasing cannabis although current and potential
users appear less concerned.
Q9. Please rate your level of agreement with the following statements.
Base: Total sample (n=1,000); Current users (n=182); Potential users (n=182); Rejecters (n=636)
Agreement with Statements About Cannabis Legalization
(%)
69 62 70 71 A
53 45 48 57
50 36 58 52
42 75 58 28
31 65 49 16
23 33 29 18
20 45 21 12
19 29 25 15
18 40 27 9
12 19 C 13 10
% Strongly/ Somewhat Agree
Current
Users
A
Potential
Users
B
Rejecters
C
14. 14
A higher proportion of males and millennials agree that legalizing
recreational cannabis was the right decision.
• There is a lesser appetite for legal edible cannabis products in Quebec, but millennials show more interest this type of product.
• A higher proportion of those living in Alberta agree that their provincial government was well prepared to sell cannabis.
Q9. Please rate your level of agreement with the following statements.
Base: Total sample (n=1,000)
*Caution: Small base size (n<50). Treat results as directional only.
Agreement with Statements About Cannabis Legalization
(% Strongly/Somewhat Agree) Total
18-34
A
35-49
B
50-65
C
Male
D
Female
E
BC
F
AB
G
SK
H
MB
I
ON
J
QC
K
n=1,000 n=288 n=289 n=423 n=482 n=508 n=135 n=109 n=33* n=39* n=378 n=236
Licensed producers should prioritize supply for their medical patients over
recreational demand
69 60 69 75 64 73 73 69 85 GIJK 62 69 68
There are real risks to those who purchase cannabis, e.g. not getting in to the US,
getting their data stolen and exposed
53 47 58 54 55 51 60 J 49 52 46 50 58
More people are going to consume cannabis now that it’s legal 50 47 54 50 49 51 55 56 45 56 50 47
Legalizing recreational cannabis was the right decision 42 48 B 38 41 46 38 47 K 44 61 JK 49 39 36
I wish that edible cannabis products (e.g., gummies) were available legally 31 39 27 27 32 30 36 K 31 45 K 38 K 31 K 22
I am concerned about the difference in pricing between medical and recreational
cannabis
23 22 20 25 23 22 25 23 18 18 25 19
I can get cheaper cannabis from the black/grey market 20 25 C 21 16 22 18 16 23 K 27 26 21 K 14
There will be enough legal supply of cannabis to meet the demand 19 20 20 18 22 16 28 JK 27 JK 18 28 K 18 13
The price for legal cannabis is too high 18 20 19 16 21 16 21 24 K 27 23 17 14
The provincial government was well prepared to sell cannabis 12 13 12 11 13 11 10 21 FJK 9 13 11 8
16. 16
Few have visited their province’s legal cannabis store and
even fewer have purchased something.
• 18-34 year-olds are most likely to have visited their province’s legal cannabis stores. Conversely, the 50-65 age group is least likely.
• Males are more likely to have visited than females.
Q10. Have you visited your province’s legal cannabis store – either online or in-person? Please select all that apply.
Q12. Have you purchased anything through your province’s legal cannabis store – either online or in-person?
Base: Total Sample (n=1,000).
Visitation: Legal Cannabis Store
(%)
12
2
86
14
Visited online or
in-person
Purchase: Legal Cannabis Store
(%)
21
97
3
Purchased
online or in-
person
Online
In-store
Have not visited
Online
In-store
Have not purchased
% Visited Online or In-Person
18-34
A
35-49
B
50-65
C
Male
D
Female
E
BC
F
AB
G
SK
H
MB
I
ON
J
QC
K
n=288 n=289 n=423 n=482 n=508 n=135 n=109 n=33* n=39* n=378 n=236
24 14 7 18 11 14 H 14 H 3 13 17 HK 10
17. 17
The shopping experience was enjoyable
I was impressed with the selection of products available
I was able to purchase what I wanted
Many of the products were sold-out
There were long lines at cannabis stores
I wish there was more information on the products about how
they work and their intended effects
I had difficulty finding the strain I wanted
I had difficulty finding the brand I wanted
33
32
22
41
32
9
10
14
38
36
39
18
18
27
10
5
24
14
11
23
27
32
38
52
5
9
22
14
18
18
33
19
0
9
6
5
5
14
10
10
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Neither agree nor disagree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree
The majority of those who visited their province’s physical store
had an enjoyable shopping experience and were impressed with
the selection of products.
• However, 6-in-10 agree that a lot of the products were sold out and half agree that the lines were long. 1-in-5 also report having difficulty finding the
strain or brand that they wanted.
• 1-in-3 would like more information on cannabis products and their intended effects.
Q11. Thinking about your in-person visit to your province’s cannabis store, please rate your level of agreement with the following statements.
Base: Visited province’s physical store; excluding not applicable. Base size varies (n=18-22)
*Caution: Extremely small base size (n<30). Treat results as directional only.
Agreement with Statements About Visiting Physical Store
(%)
71
68
61
59
50
36
19
19
% Strongly/Somewhat
Agree
18. 18
I wish there was more information on the products about how
they work and their intended effects
Many of the products were sold-out
I was impressed with the selection of products available
The shopping experience was enjoyable
I was able to purchase what I wanted
My order was delivered in a reasonable time*
I had difficulty finding the brand I wanted
I had difficulty finding the strain I wanted
I had difficulty accessing the province’s website
25
29
14
10
9
17
7
10
7
36
29
33
37
23
14
14
9
5
21
24
32
38
30
48
49
57
22
15
18
14
11
16
3
21
18
20
3
6
5
21
17
8
6
47
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Neither agree nor disagree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree
6-in-10 of those who have visited their province’s online cannabis
store wish that there was more information on how the products
work and their intended effects.
• The same proportion agree that many of the products were sold out.
• However, about half agree that they were impressed with the selection and that the shopping experience was enjoyable.
Q11a. Thinking about your online visit to your province’s cannabis store, please rate your level of agreement with the following statements.
Base: Visited province’s online store; excluding not applicable. Base size varies (n=29-108)
*Caution: Extremely small base size (n<30). Treat results as directional only.
Agreement with Statements About Visiting Online Store
(%)
61
58
47
46
33
31
21
19
11
% Strongly/Somewhat
Agree
19. 19
Of those who have purchased legal cannabis, 3-in-4 are
satisfied with their purchase.
• Only 6% say they are dissatisfied with their purchase.
Q13a. Thinking about the cannabis product you purchased from province’s legal store, how satisfied were you with your order overall?
Base: Purchased from province’s store (n=32*)
*Caution: Small base size (n<50). Treat results as directional only.
Satisfaction With Cannabis Purchased From Legal Store
(%)
47 28 19 0 6
Very satisfied Somewhat satisfied Neither satisfied nor dissatisfied Somewhat dissatisfied Very dissatisfied % Very/Somewhat Satisfied
75
20. 20
Price
Quantity (number of grams / mL)
Amount of THC
Strain Type (Sativa/Hybrid/Indica)
Amount of CBD
Strain (White Widow, Bubba Kush, etc.)
Brand
38
41
59
44
34
19
13
53
44
25
28
34
44
22
9
16
13
25
25
25
44
3
3
6
13
22
Very important Somewhat important Not very important Not at all important
Price, quantity and amount of THC were the most important
factors when deciding which product(s) to buy legally.
• In fact, 6-in-10 (59%) say the amount of THC is very important.
• 1-in-3 felt that brand played a role in their decision.
Q13. Thinking about the cannabis product you purchased from province’s legal store, how important were each of the following factors in deciding on the specific product (or products) you bought?
Base: Purchased from province’s store (n=32)
*Caution: Small base size (n<50). Treat results as directional only.
Importance of Factors on Purchase Decision from Legal Cannabis Store
(%)
91
84
84
72
69
63
34
% Very/Somewhat
Important
21. 21
1-in-5 (19%) of Canadians are likely to purchase legally in
the future.
• Current users and Legal purchasers are more likely to purchase legally than their potential, rejector, or non-purchaser counterparts.
• The 18-34 age group is the most likely to engage in future legal purchase.
Q14. How likely are you to purchase cannabis through legal channels in the future?
Base: Total sample (n=1,000)
Likelihood to Purchase Cannabis Through Legal Channels in Future
(%)
8 11 20 22 39
Definitely will Probably will Might or might not Probably will not Definitely will not % Definitely/
Probably Will
19
% Definitely/Probably Will
Current Users
A
Potential
Users
B
Rejecters
C
Legal
Cannabis
Purchaser
D
Visitor, but
Non-
Purchaser
E
18-34
F
35-49
G
50-65
H
Male
I
Female
J
n=182 n=182 n=636 n=32* n=108 n=288 n=289 n=423 n=482 n=508
60 40 1 81 51 31 14 15 21 17
BC
K
AB
L
SK
M
MB
N
ON
O
QC
P
n=135 n=109 n=33* n=39* n=378 n=236
24 20 18 15 17 18
22. 22
Overall, engagement with cannabis packaging is low.
• Only 3-in-10 (30%) are put off by the warning labels on packaging. 4-in-10 (41%), are unaffected. Current users are least likely to be impacted.
• Again, 3-in-10 (28%) believe that cannabis producers should be allowed to be more creative with packaging. This is much higher (53%) among current
users, who are much more likely to agree that more creative packaging should be allowed, and much lower (17%) among rejectors.
Q17. Shown below are some examples of cannabis packaging. Please look at them carefully and then rate your level of agreement with the following statements.
Base: Total Sample (n=1000); Current users (n=182); Potential users (n=182); Rejecters (n=636)
13
11
17
17
41
31
14
15
15
26
The Warnings Make Me Not Want to Consume
Cannabis
Cannabis Producers Should be Allowed to Have
More Creative Packaging
Strongly agree Somewhat agree Neither agree nor disagree Somewhat disagree Strongly disagree
Agreement With Statements About Legal Cannabis Packaging
(%)
Current
Users
A
Potential
Users
B
Rejecters
C
% Strongly/Somewhat Agree
Total
30 13 29 35
28 53 42 17
24. 24
Impact on mental health
Pain relief benefits
Inflammation reduction benefits
Impact on lung health
Anxiety/stress relief benefits
Impact on short term memory
Sleep benefits
The difference between the strain types (Hybrid, Sativa,
Indica)
The difference between the specific strains (White
Widow, Bubba Kush, Green Crack, etc.)
33
30
27
29
27
27
27
16
16
33
34
36
33
35
35
33
30
28
13
13
14
15
14
16
16
20
22
22
22
24
23
24
23
25
34
35
Very interested Somewhat interested Not very interested Not at all interested
In general, there is interest in learning more about the
benefits and detriments of cannabis.
• Although lower among rejecters, there is still interest amongst this group.
Q16. Thinking about cannabis, how interested are you in learning more about each of the following?
Base: Total sample (n=1,000); Current users (n=182); Potential users (n=182); Rejecters (n=636)
Interest in Learning More About Benefits and Detriments of Cannabis
(%)
65 83 86 54
65 90 89 50
62 85 86 49
62 82 83 51
62 87 90 46
61 77 84 51
59 89 87 43
46 81 77 27
44 76 77 25
% Very/Somewhat Interested
Current
Users
A
Potential
Users
B
Rejecters
C
26. 26
4-in-10 users report consuming cannabis in the week following
legalization. Consumption is primarily recreational.
Last Time Used Cannabis
(%)
30% 44% 61%Past Day Past Week Past Month
81 19Recreationally MedicallyPrimary Use
(%)
27. 27
3-in-10 current users have consumed cannabis in the past day.
• Over 4-in-10 (44%) have consumed it in the past week.
Q7. When was the last time you used cannabis?
Base: Used cannabis in past year (n=182)
Last Time Consumed Cannabis
(%)
5
8
7
19
17
14
23
7Today
Yesterday
Past week
Past month
Past 3 months
Past 6 months
Past year
Can’t remember
30
Past day
44
Past week
Male Female
n=94 n=88
34 26
Male Female
n=94 n=88
49 39
Nets
28. 28
79
2
14
5
Medically and have a
prescription
Medically, but do not
have a prescription
Recreationally, but have
a prescription
Recreationally
The majority of cannabis users primarily use it recreationally.
• 1-in-5 (19%) use it medically, either with or without a prescription.
Q18. Which of the following best describes your PRIMARY cannabis use? I primarily use cannabis …
Base: Used cannabis in past year (n=182)
Primary Cannabis Use
(%)
81
Recreationally
19
Medically