Cannabis use (non-medical) in Canada: Key findings

On this page

• Data over the past 7 years
• Cannabis use for non-medical purposes
• Cannabis sourcing
• Knowledge and attitudes
• Driving and cannabis use

Data over the past 7 years

The Cannabis Act came into force on October 17, 2018 and provides legal, restricted access to cannabis and controls and regulates its production, distribution and sale. To help evaluate the impact of the legalization and regulation of cannabis, Health Canada has been conducting the annual Canadian Cannabis Survey (CCS) since 2018 to better understand how people in Canada view and use cannabis. This data blog presents data from the past 7 years of the CCS. The 2018 cycle was conducted pre-legalization and the other 6 cycles were conducted post-legalization. To document changes over time, comparisons to 2018 are presented; in cases where a question was added after 2018, comparisons are made to the first year the question was asked. Findings are also compared to the previous survey cycle (2023)^{Footnote 1Footnote 2}. Key findings on cannabis use from 2018 through 2024 are presented to examine self-reported changes since legalization and regulation^{Footnote 1Footnote 2}. All results refer to cannabis use among people in Canada aged 16 years and older.

More than a quarter of people in Canada reported cannabis use in the past 12 months^{Footnote 3}

• Past 12-month cannabis use increased from 22% in 2018 to 26% in 2024, but was unchanged from 26% in 2023.

Explore the data in Figure 2

Approximately 1 in 6 people in Canada reported cannabis use in the past 30 days^{Footnote 3}

• Past 30-day cannabis use increased from 15% in 2018 to 17% in 2024, but was unchanged from 17% in 2023.
• In 2024, past 30-day use remained higher among males (19%, unchanged from 19% in 2018 and 2023) than among females (15%, an increase from 11% in 2018 but unchanged from 15% in 2023).
• In 2024, past 30-day use remained higher among people in Canada aged 16-19 years (27%, unchanged from 23% in 2018 and 29% in 2023) and 20-24 years (32%, unchanged from 30% in 2018 and 31% in 2023) than among people age 25+ (15%, an increase from 13% in 2018 and unchanged from 15% in 2023).

Frequency of daily or almost daily cannabis use remained unchanged

• 6% of all people in Canada reported consuming cannabis daily or almost daily, an increase from 5% in 2018 and unchanged from 6% in 2023.
  • This represented 24% of people in Canada who reported consuming cannabis in the past 12 months, unchanged from 25% in 2018 and 23% in 2023.
• In 2024, daily/almost daily use remained higher among males (7%, unchanged from 7% in 2018 and 2023) than among females (5%, an increase from 4% in 2018 and unchanged from 5% in 2023).
• In 2024 daily/almost daily use remained higher among people in Canada aged 16-19 years (8%, unchanged from 8% in 2018 and 9% in 2023) and 20-24 years (13%, unchanged from 11% in 2018 and 11% in 2023) than among people age 25+ (5.3%, an increase from 4.6% in 2018 and unchanged from 5.3% in 2023).

While cannabis smoking decreased, it remained the most common consumption method

Among people in Canada who reported consuming cannabis in the past 12 months:

• Smoking cannabis decreased from 89% in 2018 to 69% in 2024 and remained unchanged between 2023 and 2024.
• Eating/drinking cannabis increased from 43% in 2018 to 57% in 2024 and remained unchanged between 2023 and 2024.
• Vaping cannabis (including vaping dried cannabis and/or liquid or solid cannabis extracts) was 37% in 2024, unchanged from 2018 and 2023 (33 and 36%, respectively).

More people in Canada purchased cannabis from a legal source

• In 2024, 72% of those who reported consuming cannabis in the past 12 months reported usually purchasing their cannabis from a legal source (storefront or website), an increase from 4% in 2018 and unchanged from 73% in 2023.
  • This included 68% who reported purchasing from a legal storefront (unchanged from 67% in 2023) and 5% who reported purchasing from a legal website (unchanged from 5% in 2023).
• Other sources of cannabis reported by those who used cannabis in the past 12 months
  • 15% of people reported obtaining their cannabis from a social source (shared around a group of friends, from a friend, family member or acquaintance), a decrease from 60% in 2018 and unchanged from 15% in 2023.
  • 5% reported growing their own cannabis or having it specifically grown for them, a decrease from 7% in 2018 and unchanged from 5% in 2023.
  • Only 3% of people reported purchasing from an illegal source (illegal store, illegal website or dealer), down from 28% in 2018 and unchanged from 3% in 2023.
  • 2% reported getting their cannabis from a storefront located in a First Nations community (unchanged from 2% in 2023 when it was first added).

Explore the data in Figure 3

Average monthly spending on cannabis in the past 12 months decreased since 2018

• The amount typically spent per month on cannabis decreased from $73 in 2018 to $63 in 2024 and was unchanged between 2023 ($63) and 2024 ($63).

People in Canada who consumed cannabis were more likely to believe it can be habit-forming but less likely to endorse other risks

• 7 out of 10 (70%) people in Canada reported ‘somewhat’ or ‘strongly’ agreeing that they had enough trustworthy information about the health risks of cannabis use to make informed decisions, a decrease compared to 71% in 2019 but an increase from 69% in 2023. Those who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months were more likely to agree (84%) than those who did not (65%).
• In 2024, the vast majority (90%) of people in Canada believed that cannabis use can be habit-forming, an increase from 82% in 2018 and unchanged from 90% 2023. This was more common among those who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months (93%) than those who did not (90%).
• Close to 90% of people in Canada (89%) reported that it is not okay to consume cannabis while pregnant or breastfeeding, a slight increase from 87% in both 2019 and 2023. This was slightly more common among those who had not consumed cannabis in the past 12 months (89%) than among those who had consumed it (87%).
• Just over 7 in 10 (71%) people in Canada believed that daily or almost daily cannabis use increases the risk of mental health problems, a decrease from 75% in 2019 but up slightly from 68% in 2023. This was more common among those who had not consumed cannabis in the past 12 months (73%) than among those who had (66%).

Perception that smoking and vaping cannabis regularly carries moderate or great risk has increased since 2018

• Compared to 2018, perceived ‘moderate’ or ‘great’ risk increased for smoking cannabis (77%, up from 72%) and vaping^* cannabis (80%, up from 70%). Perceptions of risk for smoking and vaping cannabis were unchanged from 2023.
• Perceived ‘moderate’ or ‘great’ risk of eating/drinking cannabis was 65% in 2024, unchanged from 2018 and 2023 (66% and 63%, respectively).
• Among those who had not consumed cannabis in the past 12 months, a greater percentage perceived ‘moderate’ or ‘great’ risk from regularly smoking cannabis (83% vs. 60%), regularly vaping dried cannabis (80% vs. 58%), regularly vaping cannabis extracts (82% vs. 63%), or regularly eating/drinking cannabis (74% vs. 39%) compared to those who had consumed cannabis respectively (Figure 4).

^* Starting in 2023, vaping cannabis combines responses from two questions on vaping dried cannabis and liquid/solid cannabis extracts.

Explore the data in Figure 4

Compared to 2018, fewer people operated a vehicle after cannabis use in the past 12 months^{Footnote 4}

• 18% of people who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months reported driving after cannabis use, a decrease from 27% in 2018 but an increase from 15% in 2023.
  • This included 16% who reported driving within 2 hours of smoking or vapourizing cannabis and 10% who reported driving within 4 hours of ingesting cannabis in the past 12 months.

• In 2024, rates remained higher among males (24%, a decrease from 33% in 2018 and an increase from 18% in 2023) than females (13%, a decrease from 18% in 2018 but unchanged from 12% in 2023).
• In 2024, rates did not differ among people in Canada aged 16-19 years, 20-24 years or 25+ years.
  • 17% of youth aged 16-19 years reported driving after cannabis use, unchanged from 2018 and 2023 (22% and 14%, respectively)
  • 18% of people aged 20-24 years reported driving after cannabis use, a decrease from 28% in 2018 and unchanged from 15% in 2023
  • 19% of people aged 25+ years reported driving after cannabis use, a decrease from 27% in 2018 and an increase from 15% in 2023.

In 2024, 86% of people in Canada believed that cannabis use impairs one's ability to drive

• Among those who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months, 78% felt that cannabis use impairs one’s ability to drive, 13% responded that it depends, and 6% responded that it did not impair one’s ability to drive.

Approximately a quarter (23%) of people in Canada believed it was ‘extremely likely’ or ‘likely’ that a driver would be caught driving under the influence of cannabis.

• An additional 40% believed a driver was ‘somewhat likely’ to be caught driving under the influence of cannabis, unchanged from 2018 and an increase from 2023 (40% and 37%, respectively).

• Those who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months were less likely to believe it was ‘extremely likely’ or ‘likely’ that a driver would be caught driving under the influence of cannabis than people who had not consumed cannabis in the past 12 months (19% and 24%, respectively).

Explore the data in Figure 5

Suggested citation

Canadian Cannabis Survey. Cannabis use for non-medical purposes among people in Canada (aged 16+). Ottawa: Health Canada; December 2024.