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Canadian Cannabis Survey 2024: Summary

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Introduction

The Cannabis Act came into force on October 17, 2018, and provides legal access to cannabis and controls and regulates its production, distribution and sale. To evaluate the impact of the Cannabis Act, Health Canada collects data to better understand how people in Canada view and use cannabis. These data also support development of policy and program initiatives, including public education and awareness activities.

Health Canada developed and implemented the Canadian Cannabis Survey (CCS), in anticipation of legalization, to obtain detailed information about the habits of people who use cannabis and behaviours relative to cannabis use over time.

The CCS was piloted in 2017 and has been conducted annually since 2018. It examines aspects of patterns of use, such as the quantities of cannabis consumed and the use of cannabis for medical purposes; the cannabis market, such as sources of cannabis and pricing; and issues of public safety, such as impaired driving. While core content remains consistent to allow for comparisons, survey content is reviewed annually and modified to address any identified gaps in the data.

The 2024 CCS included additional questions related to :

The 2024 CCS used the same format as the 2023 cycle where the majority of questions regarding cannabis use referred to any cannabis use rather than asking separate questions for medical and non-medical use, as was done prior to 2023. Respondents were also asked about their reason for cannabis use in the past 12 months (non-medical purposes only, medical purposes only, both, or no cannabis use), to allow results to be disaggregated by medical versus non-medical use.

Results by theme

Results from the 2024 survey are presented by theme. The CCS has been conducted for 6 years since cannabis for non-medical purposes was legalized in Canada in October 2018. To document changes over time, comparisons to 2018 are presented. Note that for survey questions that were added to the survey in later cycles, findings from 2024 are compared to the first year in which the question was asked. Findings are also compared to the previous survey cycle (2023); findings are unchanged from 2023 unless stated otherwise.

For key findings across Canada from the CCS 2018-2024, visit the Cannabis Data Blog.

All reported increases and decreases in the text below are statistically significant changes (meaning that they are not likely to have occurred by chance alone). To improve readability, the words "statistically significant" will not be repeated. Similarly, at times the text will state that the proportion is "unchanged" or not different between groups, even though the numbers are not identical. This occurs when the difference between numbers is not statistically significant.

Definitions

Detailed results tables will be published on the Library and Archives Canada website. A summary of the key results by theme is provided below.

In this section

Knowledge, attitudes and opinions

People in Canada were asked questions about their knowledge and opinions related to cannabis. Topics included:

Knowledge/beliefs about harms related to cannabis

People in Canada were asked a series of questions which assessed their knowledge and beliefs about harms related to cannabis. Changes over time are shown in Figure 1. In all years, over 80% of people in Canada correctly identified that:

In addition, among people in Canada in 2024:

Knowledge and beliefs about cannabis-associated harms differed between those who had consumed cannabis compared to those who had not (Figure 2). Those who had consumed cannabis in the past 12 months were more likely to:

On the other hand, those who had consumed cannabis in the past 12 months were less likely to acknowledge:

Figure 1: Knowledge or beliefs regarding cannabis-associated harms1, 2018 to 2024
Figure 1. Text version below.
Figure 1 - Text description
  2018 (%) 2019 (%) 2020 (%) 2021 (%) 2022 (%) 2023 (%) 2024 (%)
Habit-forming * 82 90 90 89 89 90 90
Pregnant or breastfeeding *^ -- 87 88 87 86 87 89
Teenagers at greater risk -- 84 84 82 83 84 84
Harms of vaping cannabis^ -- -- -- -- -- 84 86
Harms of smoking cannabis *^ -- 76 75 76 78 81 83
Drug interactions -- -- -- -- -- 71 71
Frequent use and mental health *^ -- 75 66 65 66 68 71
Delayed onset of edibles * -- -- 52 50 52 51 50
THC level and impairment * -- -- 45 41 42 40 40
Testing of legal products -- -- -- -- -- 38 37
Duration of effects (inhaled vs. edible) * -- -- 40 36 37 35 34

* Significant difference between 2018 (or first year question was asked) and 2024.

^ Significant difference between 2023 and 2024.

1 Question wording has been abbreviated in Figures 1 and 2. Full question wording is listed below. Note that not all questions were asked in all survey years (see Figure 1).

  • Habit-forming: Can using cannabis become habit forming for some people?
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding +: Is it okay to use cannabis when pregnant or breastfeeding?
  • Teenagers at greater risk: Teenagers are at greater risk of harm from using cannabis than adults
  • Harms of vaping cannabis: Can cannabis vaping be harmful?
  • Harms of smoking cannabis: Can cannabis smoke be harmful?
  • Drug interactions: Can cannabis change the way other medications work in the body?
  • Frequent use and mental health: Daily or almost daily cannabis use increases risk of mental health problems.
  • Delayed onset of edibles: Can it take up to 4 hours to feel the full effects from eating or drinking cannabis?
  • THC level and impairment +: Does consuming cannabis products with lower levels of THC lead to greater impairment?
  • Testing of legal products: Are legal cannabis products tested for contaminants such as bacteria, moulds and pesticides?
  • Duration of effects (inhaled vs. edible) +: Are the effects of inhaling cannabis longer-lasting than eating/drinking cannabis products?

+ 'No' was coded as 'correct' for these items ('Yes' and 'Don't know/not sure' were coded as 'incorrect'). For the remaining items, 'Yes' was coded as 'correct' ('No' and 'Don't know/not sure' were coded as 'incorrect').

Figure 2: Knowledge or beliefs regarding cannabis-associated harms1, among those who had and had not consumed cannabis in the past 12 months, 2024
Figure 2. Text version below.
Figure 2 - Text description
Question theme Overall (%) People who did not consume cannabis (past 12 months) (%) People who consumed cannabis (past 12 months) (%)
Habit-forming * 90 90 92
Pregnant or breastfeeding * 89 89 87
Teenagers at greater risk * 84 83 86
Harms of vaping cannabis 86 86 86
Harms of smoking cannabis 83 83 83
Drug interactions 71 71 72
Frequent use and mental health * 71 74 64
Delayed onset of edibles * 50 42 76
THC level and impairment * 40 28 68
Testing of legal products * 37 31 53
Duration of effects (inhaled vs. edible) * 34 21 63
* Significant difference between those who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months and those who had not.

1 Question wording has been abbreviated in Figures 1 and 2. Full question wording is listed below. Note that not all questions were asked in all survey years (see Figure 1).

  • Habit-forming: Can using cannabis become habit forming for some people?
  • Pregnant or breastfeeding +: Is it okay to use cannabis when pregnant or breastfeeding?
  • Teenagers at greater risk: Teenagers are at greater risk of harm from using cannabis than adults
  • Harms of vaping cannabis: Can cannabis vaping be harmful?
  • Harms of smoking cannabis: Can cannabis smoke be harmful?
  • Drug interactions: Can cannabis change the way other medications work in the body?
  • Frequent use and mental health: Daily or almost daily cannabis use increases risk of mental health problems.
  • Delayed onset of edibles: Can it take up to 4 hours to feel the full effects from eating or drinking cannabis?
  • THC level and impairment +: Does consuming cannabis products with lower levels of THC lead to greater impairment?
  • Testing of legal products: Are legal cannabis products tested for contaminants such as bacteria, moulds and pesticides?
  • Duration of effects (inhaled vs. edible) +: Are the effects of inhaling cannabis longer-lasting than eating/drinking cannabis products?

+ 'No' was coded as 'correct' for these items ('Yes' and 'Don't know/not sure' were coded as 'incorrect'). For the remaining items, 'Yes' was coded as 'correct' ('No' and 'Don't know/not sure' were coded as 'incorrect').

Access to trustworthy information

Starting in 2019, people in Canada were asked if they felt they had access to enough trustworthy information about the health risks of cannabis use to make informed decisions. Seventy percent (70%) reported somewhat or strongly agreeing that they had enough trustworthy information, a decrease compared to 2019 (71%) but an increase compared to 2023 (69%). This was more common among those who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months (84%) than among those who had not consumed cannabis (64%).

Exposure to health warning messages

Starting in 2019, people in Canada were asked if they had seen the health warning messages on cannabis products/packages or on Health Canada's website. In 2024, 30% reported they had seen the warnings (a decrease from 2019 and 2023), and a further 29% reported they were not sure. Among those who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months, 63% reported having seen the warnings, an increase over time from 55% in 2019.

Of those who had seen the warnings, over half (55%) reported that this had increased their knowledge of the harms related to cannabis use at least somewhat, unchanged from all previous cycles.

New in 2024, people who reported seeing health warning messages were asked which ones they recalled. When given a list of health warning messages, the 3 most commonly recalled messages were:

  1. "Do not use if pregnant or breastfeeding" (57%)
  2. "Adolescents and young adults are at greater risk of harms from cannabis" (42%)
  3. "It can take up to 4 hours to feel the full effects from eating or drinking cannabis" (39%).

All other warnings were selected by one third or less of those who saw any message. Only 11% did not recall any of the health warning messages.

Exposure to education campaigns, public health or safety messages

Starting in 2019, people in Canada were asked if they had seen or heard education campaigns, public health or safety messages about cannabis in various locations in the past 12 months. More than one location could be selected if these messages were seen in multiple locations. The five most common locations selected in 2024 were:

  1. TV or radio (26%)
  2. health care setting (15%)
  3. social media (14%)
  4. posters or billboards (14%)
  5. inside or outside a legal cannabis store (8%).

With the exception of TV or radio, those who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months were more likely to report having seen the messages in these locations than those who had not consumed cannabis. The number of people in Canada who reported that they did not recall seeing any education campaigns or public health messages increased over time (from 24% in 2019 to 50% in 2024).

Starting in 2020, those who saw or heard education campaigns or public health messages were asked if the information was credible or believable. Of those who saw or heard these messages, 68% reported that the information was credible or believable, a decrease since 2020 (73%).

Exposure to cannabis advertisements or promotions

Starting in 2022, people in Canada were asked if they had noticed/seen cannabis being advertised or promoted in various locations over the past 12 months. People could select more than one location if they had noticed these advertisements or promotions in multiple locations. As shown in Figure 3, over half had not noticed any cannabis advertisements (55%), an increase from 2022 (51%). Where seen, most were outside of stores that sell cannabis (23%).

Figure 3: Location1 of exposure to cannabis advertisements or promotions, among all people in Canada, 2022 to 2024
Figure 3. Text version below.
Figure 3 - Text description
Location 2022 (%) 2023 (%) 2024 (%)
Outside a store that sells cannabis 24 24 23
Social media ^ 14 13 15
Inside a store that sells cannabis ^ 13 12 13
Public display of posters or billboards 10 10 10
Websites * 13 9 9
TV/radio * 10 8 7
I didn't notice any advertisements or promotions (exclusive) * 51 54 55

1 Multiple response options could be selected, unless respondent selected 'I didn't notice any advertisement or promotions'.

* Significant difference between 2022 and 2024.

^ Significant difference between 2023 and 2024.

Social acceptability of cannabis and other substance use

Starting in 2018, people in Canada were asked about the social acceptability of regularly consuming various substances including cannabis. Of the proposed substances, the most socially acceptable substance to consume was alcohol, followed by cannabis and then e-cigarettes and tobacco (Figure 4).

Social acceptability of the following increased from 2018:

Social acceptability of regularly consuming e-cigarettes with nicotine (46%) was unchanged compared to 2018 (46%).

In 2024, social acceptability of regularly eating and vaping* cannabis each decreased slightly compared to 2023.

* Starting in 2023, vaping cannabis was asked as separate questions on vaping dried cannabis and liquid/solid cannabis extracts.

Figure 4: Social acceptability1 of regularly consuming various substances, among all people in Canada, 2018 to 2024
Figure 4. Text version below.
Figure 4 - Text description
Somewhat/completely socially acceptable 2018 (%) 2019 (%) 2020 (%) 2021 (%) 2022 (%) 2023 (%) 2024 (%)
Eating or drinking cannabis *^ 44 43 48 49 52 58 56
Smoking cannabis * 45 44 48 49 51 54 53
Vaping cannabis +*^ 44 42 43 45 48 55 53
Drinking alcohol * 60 55 61 62 62 75 76
Using an e-cigarette containing nicotine 46 41 35 38 41 46 46
Smoking tobacco (cigarette/cigar/ smokeless tobacco) * 38 35 35 35 38 39 40

1Social acceptability is defined as 'somewhat' or 'completely' socially acceptable.

+Starting in 2023, the data point for vaping combines two questions on vaping dried cannabis and liquid/solid cannabis extracts.

* Significant difference between 2018 and 2024.

^ Significant difference between 2023 and 2024.

Social acceptability of regularly consuming alcohol, tobacco, e-cigarettes and cannabis was higher among people who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months compared to those who did not report cannabis use.

Perceived risks of consuming cannabis and other substances

Starting in 2018, people in Canada were asked how much they thought a person risked harming themselves by consuming various substances regularly. Perceived risk was determined using a 4-point Likert scale, which had the following categories: no risk, slight risk, moderate risk, great risk and "don't know".

The majority of people perceived either moderate or great risk for regularly:

Compared to 2018, perception of moderate or great risk increased for regularly:

Perceived moderate or great risk of regularly smoking tobacco decreased in 2024 compared to 2018 (95%) and was unchanged from 2018 for regularly eating/drinking cannabis (66%). However, perceived risk of regularly smoking, eating/drinking, and vaping cannabis was higher in 2024 compared to 2023 (Figure 5).

There were some differences in perceived risk among those who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months compared to those who did not. Compared to those who did not consume cannabis, people who consumed cannabis were less likely to perceive moderate or great risk from regularly:

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

Figure 5: Perceived risk of regularly consuming various substances, 2018 to 2024
Figure 5. Text version below.
Figure 5 - Text description
Moderate/great risk from regular use 2018 (%) 2019 (%) 2020 (%) 2021 (%) 2022 (%) 2023 (%) 2024 (%)
Drink alcohol * 78 79 74 75 77 85 85
Smoke tobacco * 95 94 95 95 95 93 94
Use an e-cigarette with nicotine * 82 84 90 89 87 87 87
Smoke cannabis *^ 72 74 73 73 74 75 77
Vape cannabis +*^ 70 72 75 75 75 78 80
Eat or drink cannabis ^ 66 68 65 66 64 63 65

+ Starting in 2023, vaping cannabis combined two questions on vaping dried cannabis (75%) and liquid/solid cannabis extracts (77%).

* Significant difference between 2018 and 2024.

^ Significant difference between 2023 and 2024.

Identifying legal store and websites

Starting in 2023, people in Canada were asked how they knew if a store or website selling cannabis was legal. In 2023, responses were open-ended text that was coded in themes. For the 2024 survey these themes were used to create a list of options for people to choose from (multiple options could be selected). This change likely impacted responses and for this reason we did not compare 2023 to 2024. For both storefronts and websites, the 3 most common ways that a legal store or website was identified were:

  1. That it is provincially/territorially/government run (43% store, 29% website)
  2. A posted certification (33% store, 16% website)
  3. The presence of government warnings, stamps or stickers on products (33% store, 17% website).

For storefronts, 33% of people reported that they did not know how to identify a legal store. For websites, this was even higher with 56% saying that they did not know how to identify a legal website.

Knowledge of cannabis packaging requirements

Starting in 2023, people in Canada were asked to indicate what is required to be shown/present on legal cannabis packages (Figure 6). Not all of the options shown are required on legal packaging. This was done to gauge if people could pick out the correct options. People could also select a 'don't know' option. Overall, in 2024, 55% reported that they did not know what was required to be shown/present on legal cannabis packages. This was more common among those who did not consume cannabis compared to those who consumed cannabis (72% and 16%, respectively).

Figure 6: Knowledge of information included on legal cannabis packages, 2024
Figure 6. Text version below.
Figure 6 - Text description
  Overall People who did not consume cannabis (past 12 months) People who consumed cannabis (past 12 months)
Labelling of THC and CBD content * 39 21 78
Health warning messages * 32 19 63
Child-resistant packaging * 28 13 62
Standardized cannabis symbol * 25 13 50
An excise stamp * 21 9 45
* Significant difference between those who had consumed cannabis and those who had not.

Cannabis use and products consumed

People in Canada who reported consuming cannabis were asked detailed questions about their use of cannabis. Topics included:

Cannabis use for non-medical purposes

Starting in 2018, people in Canada were asked about their cannabis use within the past 12 months. Twenty-six percent (26%) of people 16 years of age and older reported consuming cannabis for non-medical purposes in the past 12 months. Past 12-month cannabis use increased over time from 22% in 2018 (Figure 7). Note that due to the data collection methodology, the CCS may provide general population prevalence estimates for cannabis use that are higher than other surveys in Canada.

Past 12-month use for non-medical purposes among people of various demographic groups in Canada

As in previous years, past 12-month cannabis use for non-medical purposes was highest among 20-24 year olds (48%), followed by 16-19 year-olds (41%), and then those 25 years and older (23%). Refer to Figure 7 for changes over time in each age group.

Males continued to report a higher percentage of cannabis use for non-medical purposes in the past year than females (28% vs. 23%, respectively). For changes over time refer to Figure 7.

Figure 7: Past 12-month cannabis use for non-medical purposes, by sex and age group, 2018 to 2024
Figure 7. Text version below.
Figure 7 - Text description
Demographic group 2018 (%) 2019 (%) 2020 (%) 2021 (%) 2022 (%) 2023 (%) 2024 (%)
Overall * 22 25 27 25 27 26 26
Males * 26 29 31 29 30 29 28
Females * 18 21 23 22 25 23 23
16-19 years 36 44 44 37 37 43 41
20-24 years 44 51 52 49 50 48 48
25+ years * 19 21 24 22 25 23 23
* Significant difference between 2018 and 2024.

Similar to the patterns seen in 2018 and 2023, the proportion of people reporting cannabis use for non-medical purposes in the past 12 months was lower among people who identified as heterosexual/straight (23%) compared to those who identified as another sexuality (61%), bisexual (55%), or lesbian/gay (38%).

The proportion of people consuming cannabis in the past 12 months was higher among people who were born in Canada (29%), compared to people who were not born in Canada (15%). These same patterns were also seen in 2018 and 2023.

People who reported being full- or part-time students also reported higher rates of past 12-month cannabis use (38%) compared to those who reported not being students (24%). People who reported being employed full- or part-time reported higher rates of past 12-month cannabis use (29%) compared to those who reported not being employed (19%). This is consistent with the patterns seen in 2018 and 2023.

Those who reported having less than high school or a high school diploma as their highest level of education reported higher rates of past 12-month cannabis use (32%) compared to those with a post-graduate degree/diploma (19%) or other level of education (25%). This is similar to the patterns seen in 2018 and 2023.

People in Canada were asked about their physical and mental health using a 5-point Likert scale, which had the following categories: excellent, very good, good, fair, and poor. Figure 8 shows past 12-month cannabis use for each category for both physical and mental health. The pattern is similar to the pattern seen in 2018 and 2023, where those with poorer self-reported physical and/or mental health had higher rates of cannabis use.

Figure 8: Past 12-month cannabis use for non-medical purposes by self-reported physical and mental health, 2024
Figure 8. Text version below.
Figure 8 - Text description
Excellent (%) Very good (%) Good (%) Fair (%) Poor (%)
Physical Health 22 25 28 29 32
Mental Health 15 20 30 41 50

Age of initiation of cannabis use

People who reported ever consuming cannabis were asked about the age at which they first tried or started consuming cannabis. For comparability across survey cycles, average age was restricted to those who reported a starting age between 5 and 70 years old. The average age of starting cannabis use was 20.7, an increase from 18.9 years in 2018. Females were older than males when they first tried cannabis (21.2 and 20.1 years, respectively). Average age of initiation is highly dependent on the age range of the people who complete the survey. For the CCS, the average age of initiation is higher among the largest age group of adults age 25 and older (21.2 years) compared to 16 to 19 year olds (15.6 years) and 20 to 24 year olds (17.2 years), resulting in a higher average age of initiation overall.

Frequency of cannabis use

People in Canada who reported consuming cannabis for non-medical purposes over the past 12 months were asked how frequently they consumed it. Over half (56%) reported consuming cannabis 3 days per month or less, and 16% reported daily cannabis use (Figure 9). Over the 7-year period, frequency of cannabis use was generally unchanged, with the exception that in 2024 more people consumed cannabis 5-6 days per week and fewer consumed daily compared to 2018 (Figure 9).

Figure 9: Frequency of cannabis use for non-medical purposes among those who have consumed cannabis in the past 12 months, 2018 to 2024
Figure 9. Text version below.
Figure 9 - Text description
Frequency 2018 (%) 2019 (%) 2020 (%) 2021 (%) 2022 (%) 2023 (%) 2024 (%)
Less than 1 day per month 35 35 35 33 34 36 37
1 day per month 6 6 7 7 6 7 7
2-3 days per month 14 14 12 14 12 14 13
1-2 days per week 10 12 13 11 13 11 11
3-4 days per week 10 9 9 9 11 9 9
5-6 days per week * 6 6 7 7 7 8 8
Daily * 19 18 18 19 18 15 16
* Significant difference between 2018 and 2024.

Overall, a greater percentage of males (26%) reported daily or almost daily use (i.e., 5+ days per week) compared to females (21%), who were more likely to report consuming less than 1 day per month (41%) compared to males (33%). Those aged 20 to 24 were more likely to report consuming cannabis daily than those aged 16-19 (27% vs 20% respectively) and less likely to use less than 1 day per month compared to those aged 25 and older (32% vs 38% respectively). The percentage reporting daily or almost daily use by sex and age group is summarized in Figure 10.

Figure 10. Frequency of daily or almost daily (5+ days per week) cannabis use among those who consumed cannabis for non-medical purposes in the past 12 months, by age group and sex, 2018 to 2024
Figure 10. Text version below.
Figure 10 - Text description
Demographic group 2018 (%) 2019 (%) 2020 (%) 2021 (%) 2022 (%) 2023 (%) 2024 (%)
Overall 25 24 25 26 25 23 24
Males 28 26 29 29 29 25 26
Females 21 21 20 23 21 20 21
16-19 years 23 16 21 20 21 21 20
20-24 years 26 23 23 29 29 23 27
25+ years 25 25 26 26 25 23 23

Overall, 17% of people in Canada aged 16 years and older reported consuming cannabis for non-medical purposes in the past 30 days (up from 15% in 2018). Starting in 2020, people who consumed cannabis within the past 30 days were asked how many days they consumed cannabis in that time period. The average number of days was 14.5 (or half of the days in a month), unchanged from 2020.

Types of cannabis products consumed and frequency of use

People in Canada who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months were asked about the types of cannabis products they consumed in the past 12 months. People could select more than one product. Changes in product use since 2018 are shown in Figure 11. The product types consumed in 2024 (from most to least common) were:

  1. Dried flower/leaf (63%; down from 2018 and up from 2023)
  2. Edible cannabis (55%; up from 2018)
  3. Vape pens/cartridges (37%; up from 2018 and 2023)
  4. Oil for oral use (24%; unchanged from 2019)
  5. Beverages (21%; up from 2018)
  6. Hashish/kief (16%; down from 2018)
  7. Topical products (13%; up from 2019)
  8. Concentrates/extracts (e.g., wax, shatter or budder) (13%, down from 2018).

With the exception of edibles and concentrates/extracts, rates of use differed among those who consumed cannabis for medical versus non-medical purposes only (see Figure 12).

Figure 11: Cannabis products consumed1 among people who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months, 2018 to 2024
Figure 11. Text version below.
Figure 11 - Text description
Product 2018 (%) 2019 (%) 2020 (%) 2021 (%) 2022 (%) 2023 (%) 2024 (%)
Dried flower/leaf *^ 82 77 74 68 65 60 63
Edibles * 41 44 49 54 53 54 55
Vape pens/cartridges *^ 16 26 22 29 33 34 37
Beverages * 4 4 6 16 19 19 21
Oil for oral use +   23 25 26 22 26 24
Hashish/kief * 26 23 19 18 18 16 16
Concentrates/extracts * 19 17 13 12 12 11 13
Topical products +#   8 7 10 8 12 13

1 Multiple response options could be selected.

+ Not asked in 2018.

* Significant difference between 2018 and 2024.

# Significant difference between 2019 and 2024.

^ Significant difference between 2023 and 2024.
Figure 12: Cannabis products consumed1 among those who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months, by reason for use, 2024
Figure 12. Text version below.
Figure 12 - Text description
Product Non-medical purposes only (%) Both medical and non-medical purposes (%) Medical purposes only (%)
Dried flower/leaf *^+ 66 74 32
Edibles ^+ 53 66 47
Vape pens/cartridges *^+ 36 49 19
Beverages *^+ 20 32 10
Oil for oral use *^+ 17 36 44
Hashish/kief *^+ 14 29 10
Concentrates/extracts ^+ 9 26 11
Topical products *^ 6 24 29

1 Multiple response options could be selected

* Significant difference between non-medical purposes only and medical purposes only

^ Significant difference between non-medical purposes only and both

+ Significant difference between medical purposes only and both

For each cannabis product they consumed in the past 12 months, people in Canada were also asked about the frequency at which they consumed the product, ranging from less than 1 day per month to daily. The most commonly reported frequency was less than 1 day per month for all products, ranging from 29% among those who consumed vape pens/cartridges to 64% among those who consumed cannabis beverages. The products with the highest proportion of daily/almost daily use were dried flower/leaf (29%), followed by vape pens/cartridges (21%) and concentrates/extracts (18%). Beverages (2%) and edibles (5%) had the lowest proportions of daily/almost daily use (Figure 13).

Figure 13: Frequency of product use among people who consumed each cannabis product in the past 12 months, 2024
Figure 13. Text version below.
Figure 13 - Text description
Product Less than 1 day per month (%) Daily/almost daily (%)
Beverages 64 2
Edibles 51 5
Oil for oral use 40 16
Hashish/kief 44 9
Concentrates/extracts 38 18
Vape pens/cartridges 32 29
Dried flower/leaf 30 11
Topical products 29 21

Pre-rolled cannabis joints

In 2024, those who consumed dried flower/leaf in the past 12 months were asked if they had purchased pre-rolled joints. Nearly two-thirds of those who consumed dried flower/leaf purchased at least some pre-rolled joints (65%). Twenty percent (20%) reported purchasing all dried flower/leaf as pre-rolls, while 30% reported that pre-rolls accounted for less than ten percent of the dried flower/leaf that they purchased. Some pre-rolled joints are infused with high-potency cannabis oils or concentrates to increase their strength. Approximately 43% of those who purchased pre-rolled joints purchased at least some infused with high potency oils or concentrates.

Types of edible products consumed

In 2024, those who consumed edible products in the past 12 months were asked what types of edibles these were (multiple responses could be selected). The most commonly consumed edible types were:

  1. Gummies (91%)
  2. Chocolate (31%)
  3. Cookies (18%)
  4. Brownies (15%)
  5. Other candies (11%).

All other edible types listed were selected by less than 10% of those who consumed edible cannabis products in the past 12 months.

Average amount consumed on a typical use day

People who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months were asked about the average amount consumed on a typical day when they consumed cannabis. The average amount consumed varied by product. It was:

* The units used to ask about vape pens and beverages were changed in 2023 so the amounts reported in 2024 can only be compared to 2023.

Home growing of cannabis and preparation of cannabis edibles/drinks

People in Canada were asked if anyone had grown cannabis plants in or around their home in the past 12 months. Overall, in 2024, cannabis plants were grown in or around the home of:

Starting in 2022, we also asked whether the person who was growing cannabis was authorized by Health Canada to grow for medical purposes for themselves or for another person. Twenty-two percent (22%, unchanged from 2022) indicated that the person growing had an authorization.

Among those who reported growing cannabis plants the average number of plants:

People who reported growing more than 25 plants were not included in the averages to allow for comparability to previous years.

People in Canada were also asked if anyone had prepared cannabis edibles or beverages in or around their home in the past 12 months. Overall, 5% reported preparing cannabis edibles or beverages in their home (down from 2020). Among those who had consumed cannabis for non-medical purposes in the past 12 months, 14% reported preparing cannabis edibles or beverages in their home, down from 2020 (19%). Among those who had consumed cannabis for medical purposes in the past 12 months, 18% reported preparing cannabis edibles or beverages in their home, down from 2020 (25%).

Relative levels of THC and CBD in cannabis products

Starting in 2019, people who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months were asked about the relative levels of THC and CBD in the cannabis products they typically consumed.

People who selected 'higher THC and lower CBD' or 'THC only' products were classified as consuming THC-predominant products and those who selected 'higher CBD and lower THC' or 'CBD only' products were classified as consuming CBD-predominant products.

As shown in Figure 14, usual use of:

Not knowing the THC and CBD levels of one's cannabis products was more common among those who consumed for non-medical purposes only (21%).

Figure 14: Usual THC and CBD levels of cannabis products consumed among those who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months, by reason for cannabis use, 2024
Figure 14. Text version below.
Figure 14 - Text description
  Non-medical purposes only (%) Both medical and non-medical purposes (%) Medical purposes only (%)
THC-predominant *+ 37 36 18
CBD-predominant *+ 14 17 47
Other ~^+ 27 41 26
Don't know/not sure *^+ 21 6 9

*Significant difference between non-medical purposes only and medical purposes only.

^Significant difference between non-medical purposes only and both.

+Significant difference between medical purposes only and both.

~Other responses include: Products with equal levels of THC and CBD; and A mix of product types.

Exposure to second-hand smoke or vapour

Starting in 2020, people in Canada were asked about locations of exposure to second-hand cannabis smoke or vapour in the past 30 days. Overall, 57% reported exposure in any location (an increase from 2020). The four most common locations were in:

  1. a public place (49%)
  2. the home (19%)
  3. the workplace or school (9%)
  4. a car (7%).

Exposure to second-hand cannabis smoke was more common among people who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months than among people who did not.

Cannabis use with other substances

People who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months were asked how often they combined their cannabis use with other substances, by mixing or consuming at the same time. People could select more than one substance. As in previous cycles, alcohol (38%) was the substance most commonly consumed in combination with cannabis. In 2024, combined use of 'cannabis and tobacco' and combined use of 'cannabis and e-cigarettes with nicotine' were asked as separate substances, whereas they had been asked as one option in previous cycles. Combined use of cannabis and tobacco was reported by 21% of past 12-month consumers while 15% reported combined use of cannabis with e-cigarettes containing nicotine. For comparison with previous cycles, we combined responses for combined use with tobacco and e-cigarettes. In 2024, 29% reported combined use of cannabis with tobacco or e-cigarettes, up from 24% in 2023 (Figure 15).

The frequency of combining alcohol or tobacco with cannabis 'sometimes', 'often' or 'always' decreased for both of these behaviours since 2018. The majority of people in Canada who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months never combined cannabis with opioids (96%), sedatives (96%), stimulants (93%), or hallucinogens/dissociatives (90%).

Starting in 2023, people in Canada who had consumed cannabis in the past 12 months were also asked if they took other medications/natural health products while consuming cannabis. People could select more than one medication or natural health product. Sixty-five percent (65%) said they had taken at least one other medication or natural health product while consuming cannabis. The top five medications selected were:

  1. vitamins or natural health products (45%)
  2. psychiatric medications (21%)
  3. heart disease medications (11%)
  4. birth control or sexual/reproductive health medications (10%)
  5. prescription gastrointestinal medications (10%).
Figure 15: Past 12 months, use of alcohol and tobacco1,2 in combination3 with cannabis, among people who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months, 2018 to 2024
Figure 15. Text version below.
Figure 15 - Text description
2018 (%) 2019 (%) 2020 (%) 2021 (%) 2022 (%) 2023 (%) 2024 (%)
Alcohol * 44 42 47 43 41 40 38
Tobacco ^ 30 26 25 24 24 24 29

1 Multiple response options could be selected.

2 In 2024, use with ‘tobacco’ and ‘e-cigarettes with nicotine’ were asked about separately. Responses for the two substances were combined for comparison across cycles.

3 "Combined" was defined as mixed or consumed at the same time 'sometimes', 'often', or 'always'.

* Significant difference between 2018 and 2024.

^ Significant difference between 2023 and 2024.

Effects of cannabis use

Starting in 2019, people who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months were asked about the effects of their cannabis use on various aspects of their lives (Figure 16). In general, most people reported that cannabis use had no effect on various aspects of their lives. For those who reported an effect, cannabis use was seen as more beneficial than harmful across all categories. The greatest percentage of those people felt that cannabis use was somewhat or very beneficial for their quality of life (49%), followed by their mental health (42%).

The percentage reporting somewhat to very harmful effects was 10% or less across all categories. As shown in Figure 17, the percentage of people who reported that their cannabis use had a somewhat or very harmful effect increased from 2019.

Figure 16: Past 12 months, effects of cannabis use, among people who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months, 2024
Figure 16. Text version below.
Figure 16 - Text description
  Somewhat/very beneficial (%) No effect (%) Somewhat/very harmful (%)
Friendships or social life 30 65 5
Physical health 28 62 10
Mental health 42 49 10
Home life or marriage 24 71 5
Quality of life 49 45 6
Performance at work or school 13 80 8
Figure 17: Percentage reporting that their cannabis use had a harmful1 effect on their lives, among people who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months, 2019 to 2024
Figure 17. Text version below.
Figure 17 - Text description
  2019 (%) 2020 (%) 2021 (%) 2022 (%) 2023 (%) 2024 (%)
Friendships or social life 3 3 3 4 3 5
Physical health 9 9 10 12 11 10
Mental health 6 7 7 8 8 10
Home life or marriage 4 4 4 5 5 5
Quality of life 4 4 5 5 5 6
Performance at work or school 5 5 7 7 7 8
1 'Harmful' was defined as 'somewhat harmful' or 'very harmful'.

Where cannabis is stored inside the home

People who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months were asked about where they store cannabis inside the home. People could select more than one response. Among those with children under 18 years in the home:

Sources and purchasing

People in Canada who reported consuming cannabis were asked detailed questions about where they obtained their cannabis from and their purchasing behaviours. Topics included:

Sources used to obtain cannabis

People who reported consuming cannabis in the past 12 months were asked where they usually obtained their cannabis from. Figure 18 displays the sources used to obtain cannabis over time. Among consumers:

Figure 19 displays the sources used to obtain cannabis in 2024, by sex and age. Females were more likely to report purchasing cannabis from a legal source, whereas males were more likely to report purchasing cannabis from an illegal source or growing their own/having it specifically grown for them. Youth (16-19) were less likely to obtain from a legal source than the two older age groups. Youth were also more likely than those 20 to 24 to get their cannabis from an illegal source. This is likely because many of them are minors. Youth were more likely than older age groups to obtain cannabis from a social source.

Figure 18: Usual source of cannabis among people who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months, 2018 to 2024
Figure 18. Text version below.
Figure 18 - Text description
2018 (%) 2019 (%) 2020 (%) 2021 (%) 2022 (%) 2023 (%) 2024 (%)
Legal purchase (legal store, website)*+ -- 37 54 64 69 73 72
Illegal purchase (illegal store, website, dealer)* 28 16 9 6 4 3 3
Social source (shared, friend, family, acquaintance)* 60 39 29 21 18 15 15
Grew my own/grown for me* 7 6 7 8 8 5 5
Other source 2 2 1 1 1 2 2

* Significant difference between 2018 and 2024.

+ For legal purchasing, differences were compared to the 2019 cycle of the CCS which was conducted after legalization of cannabis for non-medical purposes.
Figure 19: Usual source of cannabis among people who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months, by sex and age group, 2024
Figure 19. Text version below.
Figure 19 - Text description
  Overall (%) Male (%) Female (%) 16-19 years (%) 20-24 years (%) 25+ years (%)
Legal purchase (legal store, website) ^ 72 71 74 41 76 75
Social source (shared, friend, family, acquaintance) ^ 15 14 16 45 18 12
Grew my own/grown for me ~ 5 6 3 # # 6
Illegal purchase (illegal store, website, dealer) *^ 3 4 2 5 2 3
Other Source ~ 2 2 2 4 # 2

*Significant difference between males and females.

^Significant difference from youth (16-19 years).

#Suppressed due to small cell counts and/or high variability.

~Due to small cell counts, no statistical comparisons were done for age.

Starting in 2020, those who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months were asked how often they bought or received any cannabis from legal/licensed sources. In 2024:

The reported frequency of obtaining cannabis from a legal/licensed source increased from 2020 to 2023, but was unchanged from 2023 to 2024 (Figure 20) and did not differ by sex. When we asked people about the percentage of money they spent on cannabis purchases from legal sources, a very similar pattern was observed.

In 2024, people in Canada were asked about how easy or difficult it was to access cannabis both legally and illegally. In terms of ease of access to legal cannabis:

By comparison, in terms of ease of access to illegal cannabis:

Among past 12-month cannabis consumers, the vast majority (95%) reported that it was fairly or very easy to access legal cannabis, while 43% reported that it was fairly or very easy to access illegal cannabis.

Figure 20: Frequency of obtaining cannabis from a legal/licensed source among people who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months, 2020 to 2024
Figure 20. Text version below.
Figure 20 - Text description
  2020 (%) 2021 (%) 2022 (%) 2023 (%) 2024 (%)
Always * 37 43 48 69 67
Mostly * 16 14 15 10 10
Sometimes * 12 12 9 6 6
Rarely * 14 12 13 6 7
Never * 20 18 15 9 10
* Significant difference between 2020 and 2024.

People were also asked to select which factors most influenced where they usually purchase their cannabis. The three most commonly reported factors were:

  1. convenience (30%)
  2. price (23%)
  3. safe supply (22%)

Figure 21 shows the top factors selected; the remaining response options were selected by 10% or fewer people.

Figure 21: Top factors that most influenced from whom cannabis was obtained, among people who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months, 2024
Figure 21. Text version below.
Figure 21 - Text description
  2024 (%)
Convenience 30
Price 23
Safe supply 22
I want to follow the law 16
Strength 14
Ability to talk to sales staff 14
Labelling of product information 12
Quality 11
Trust/loyalty 10

Average amount spent on cannabis each month

From 2020 to 2022, people who consumed cannabis in the past 30 days were asked about their spending on cannabis in the past 30 days. From 2023 forward, the question was changed and asked people who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months how much they spent on cannabis purchases in an average month.

People who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months indicated typically spending close to $63 on cannabis products each month, a decrease from $73 in 2018. On average, females reported spending less on cannabis than males ($55 vs $71 respectively).

Since 2020, people in Canada were also asked about their spending on cannabis purchases from legal or illegal sources in a month. On a monthly basis, people reported spending approximately:

Cannabis products bought or received, and at what frequency

People who consumed cannabis in the past 30 days were asked about the cannabis products they bought or received and the frequency at which cannabis was obtained. People could select more than one product. Changes in products obtained since 2018 are shown in Figure 22. The most common responses selected were buying or receiving:

Less commonly bought or received products included:

For all products, the most common frequency of obtaining them was 1 day per month.

For dried flower, vape pens/cartridges, cannabis oil for oral use, concentrates/extracts and topical products, rates of obtaining these products differed among those who consumed cannabis for medical versus non-medical purposes only (see Figure 23).

Figure 22: Cannabis products obtained1 among people who consumed cannabis in the past 30 days, 2018 to 2024
Figure 22. Text version below.
Figure 22 - Text description
Product 2018 (%) 2019 (%) 2020 (%) 2021 (%) 2022 (%) 2023 (%) 2024 (%)
Dried flower/leaf *^ 87 83 71 66 65 58 52
Edibles * 22 20 27 30 29 28 26
Vape pens/cartridges * 8 10 11 18 22 22 23
Beverages * 1 1 3 7 8 7 7
Oil for oral use +   11 12 14 11 13 11
Hashish/kief * 11 9 7 8 8 7 6
Concentrates/extracts * 10 9 6 7 6 5 6
Topical products +#   2 2 3 2 4 4

1 Multiple response options could be selected.

+ Not asked in 2018.

* Significant difference between 2018 and 2024.

# Significant difference between 2019 and 2024.

^ Significant difference between 2023 and 2024.
Figure 23: Cannabis products obtained1 among those who had consumed cannabis in the past 30 days, by reason for use, 2024
Figure 23. Text version below.
Figure 23 - Text description
Product Non-medical purposes only (%) Both medical and non-medical purposes (%) Medical purposes only (%)
Dried flower/leaf *^+ 53 60 33
Edibles 25 29 26
Vape pens/cartridges *+ 24 27 13
Beverages ^+ 6 10 4
Oil for oral use *^+ 6 12 31
Hashish/kief ^ 5 8 5
Concentrates/extracts*^ 3 11 7
Topical products *^ 1 8 10

1 Multiple response options could be selected.

* Significant difference between non-medical purposes only and medical purposes only.

^ Significant difference between non-medical purposes only and both.

+ Significant difference between medical purposes only and both.

The average amount obtained in the past 30 days varied by product type. On average, people who consumed cannabis in the past 30 days purchased or received:

Average price per unit of purchases, by product type

People who purchased cannabis in the past 30 days reported the average price paid per unit, by product type. Over the past 30 days, people spent the most on:

The average price per unit for more frequently consumed product types was:

Note that those who reported not paying and those who reported a value above the 99th percentile were excluded when calculating the average price per unit.

Proportion of people who consume cannabis and receive cannabis products for free

Among people in Canada who obtained cannabis in the past 30 days, some reported receiving cannabis products for free. Overall, 14% of people in Canada obtained edible cannabis for free (down from 2018) and 10% obtained dried flower/leaf for free (down from 2018). Seven percent (7%) reported obtaining cannabis vape pens/cartridges for free.

Assessment of potentially problematic cannabis use

To examine potentially problematic cannabis use, people in Canada were asked if they had ever felt they needed or had ever received professional help for their cannabis use. They were also asked to complete two screening tools which assessed potentially problematic cannabis use. Females were additionally asked about use during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

Professional help for cannabis use

Only 5% of people who had consumed cannabis more than once in their lifetime reported that they felt they ever needed professional help (such as treatment or counselling) for their cannabis use (up from 4% in 2018), and 3% had ever received professional help (unchanged from 2018). Of those 3% who received help:

Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test

People who consumed cannabis in the past 3 months were asked a series of questions about their cannabis use, taken from the World Health Organization's Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST). Based on the results of the test, people who use substances are scored according to their potential need for intervention ('no intervention', 'brief intervention' or 'more intensive intervention'). Only 3% of people who had consumed cannabis in the past 3 months scored in the category 'more intensive intervention needed', unchanged from 2018. There was no difference in the percentage of people in the 'more intensive intervention' category based on use for both medical and non-medical use or non-medical use only. The percentage among those who consumed for medical purposes only was unreportable due to small cell counts that did not allow for an estimate.

Severity of Dependence Scale

Starting in 2023, people who had consumed cannabis in the past 12 months were also asked a series of questions about how they feel about their cannabis use, taken from the Severity of Dependence Scale (SDS). The SDS was added to the survey as an alternative measure of potential problematic cannabis use and assesses psychological aspects of dependence and feelings of impaired control. The SDS was chosen as it does not include a question on frequency of use, which is a criticism of many tools, especially when assessing people who are consuming cannabis for medical purposes. Additionally, the ASSIST tool used in past cycles has a large range for the 'brief intervention" category, and those at the high end of that range may have impaired control.

People scoring 4 or higher on the SDS were considered to have 'impaired control' with regard to their cannabis use. Among people in Canada who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months, the following percentages were considered to have 'impaired control':

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Starting in 2018, females aged 16 to 50 who had given birth in the past 5 years were asked about cannabis use during their last pregnancy. Overall, 96% did not consume cannabis once they learned they were pregnant with their last child. Among those who breastfed, 96% did not consume cannabis while breastfeeding their last child. The percentage reporting cannabis use while pregnant or breastfeeding has remained under 10% since 2018.

Other outcomes

Accidental consumption of cannabis in the home

Starting in 2022, people in Canada were asked if anyone or any pets in their household had accidentally consumed cannabis (e.g., eating/drinking something without knowing it contained cannabis). Multiple responses were allowed. In 2024, 1% reported accidental consumption. Of that 1% who reported accidental consumption in the home:

Rates of accidental consumption among children under 13 years old were not reportable due to small counts that did not allow for an estimate.

Adverse reactions

Starting in 2023, people in Canada who had consumed cannabis in the past 12 months were asked if they had adverse or negative health effects from cannabis use. Seventy percent (70%) reported that they had experienced no adverse or negative health effects. This was higher among those who consumed for medical purposes only (82%) compared to those who consumed for non-medical purposes only (68%) or those who consumed for both purposes (66%).

Of the 30% of consumers who reported having experienced any adverse reaction or negative health effect in the past 12 months, those who reported usually selecting THC-predominant products were more likely to report an adverse reaction or negative health effect (38%) compared to those who usually selected CBD-predominant products (21%).

Overall, the top 5 adverse reactions or negative health effects selected were:

  1. anxiety/panic/rapid heartbeat (13%)
  2. drowsiness/lethargy (12%)
  3. dissociation/depersonalization (7%)
  4. headache (6%)
  5. confusion/disorientation (5%)

Driving and cannabis

People who operated a vehicle after consuming cannabis, and at what frequency

People who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months were asked about driving within 2 hours of smoking/vapourizing cannabis, and about driving within 4 hours of ingesting cannabis. Overall:

As shown in Figure 24, 18% of people reported at least one of these behaviours (a decrease from 27% in 2018, and an increase from 15% in 2023). Similar to previous years, a greater percentage of males reported this behaviour than females (24% vs 13%, respectively).

Figure 24: Past 12 months, driving a vehicle within 2 hours of smoking or vaping cannabis, and/or within 4 hours of ingesting cannabis, among people who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months, by sex, 2018 to 2024
Figure 24. Text version below.
Figure 24 - Text description
  2018 (%) 2019 (%) 2020 (%) 2021 (%) 2022 (%) 2023 (%) 2024 (%)
Overall *^ 27 24 19 16 18 15 18
Male *^ 33 28 24 20 24 18 24
Female * 18 18 13 11 12 12 13

*Significant difference between 2018 and 2024.

^Significant difference between 2023 and 2024.

Opinions on cannabis use and driving

When people in Canada were asked whether the use of cannabis impairs one's ability to drive or operate a vehicle 86% said 'yes' it did (an increase from 81% in 2018). Among those who consumed cannabis in the past 12 months:

People were also asked their opinion on the time it takes until it is safe to drive after consuming cannabis. They were first asked when it would be safe to drive after inhaling (smoking or vaping) cannabis and then when it would be safe to drive after ingesting (eating or drinking) cannabis. Very few people in Canada believed it was safe to drive immediately after inhaling (2%) or ingesting (1%) cannabis. The most common responses were "Don't know" and "More than 8 hours" (Figure 25).

Figure 25: Opinions on when it is safe to drive after consuming cannabis, all respondents, 2024
Figure 25. Text version below.
Figure 25 - Text description
  Smoke/vape cannabis (%) Eat/drink cannabis (%)
Immediately 2 1
30 min to <1h 1 1
1 to <3h 4 1
3 to <5h 12 5
5 to <7h 9 8
7h to 8h 5 7
More than 8 h 18 27
Don't know 36 39
It depends 12 11

Opinions on likelihood of being caught driving under the influence

People in Canada were asked how likely they thought it was that a person would be caught by police if they drove under the influence of alcohol or under the influence of cannabis. Likelihood was determined using a 5-point Likert scale, which had the following categories: not at all likely, not likely, somewhat likely, likely, and extremely likely.

Overall, most people thought it was "somewhat likely" that a person would be caught by police if they drove under the influence of alcohol (43%, up from 2018) or cannabis (40%, unchanged from 2018 and up from 2023). Another 41% of people believed it was "likely" or "extremely likely" that a driver would be caught when driving under the influence of alcohol (down from 2018), compared to less than a quarter (23%, unchanged from 2018) for driving under the influence of cannabis.

Cannabis for medical purposes

Cannabis use for medical purposes was defined in the CCS as cannabis consumed to treat a disease/disorder or improve symptoms. Ten percent (10%) of people in Canada aged 16 years and older indicated that they consumed cannabis for medical purposes in the past 12 months (a decrease from 13% in 2018).

Starting in 2019, people in Canada who had consumed cannabis for medical purposes were also asked to specify whether this use was with or without a medical document from a healthcare professional authorizing the use of cannabis for medical purposes. Only eighteen percent (18%) said they did so with a document from a healthcare professional, down from 2019 (27%).

Frequency of cannabis use for medical purposes

People who consumed cannabis for medical purposes in the past 12 months were asked how often they typically did so. As shown in Figure 26, in 2024, the 3 most commonly reported frequencies were:

  1. daily (28%; down from 2018)
  2. less than 1 day per month (26%; up from 2018)
  3. 2 to 3 days per month (13%; unchanged from 2018)
Figure 26: Frequency of cannabis use for medical purposes in the past 12 months, 2018 to 2024
Figure 26. Text version below.
Figure 26 - Text description
  2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
<1 day per month * 15 15 14 19 21 28 26
1 day per month 5 6 6 5 5 7 7
2-3 days per month 14 15 16 16 17 15 13
1-2 days per week 11 11 13 13 10 10 11
3-4 days per week 10 11 9 10 11 8 10
5-6 days per week 6 7 8 6 6 5 6
Daily * 37 35 35 32 31 27 28
* Significant difference between 2018 and 2024.

Symptoms, diseases and disorders treated by cannabis for medical purposes

People in Canada who consumed cannabis for medical purposes in the past 12 months were asked which symptoms, diseases or disorders they used cannabis to treat. People could select all that applied. The most common symptoms selected were:

  1. problems sleeping or insomnia (47%)
  2. arthritis (including joint pain) (37%)
  3. chronic pain (34%)
  4. anxiety (26%)
  5. depression (22%)

Figure 27 shows the top 10 symptoms selected; the remaining response options were selected by 10% or fewer people.

Figure 27: Symptoms, diseases and disorders treated by cannabis, among people who consumed cannabis for medical purposes in the past 12 months, 2024
Figure 27. Text version below.
Figure 27 - Text description
Symptom, disease or disorder Percentage (%)
Problems sleeping or insomnia 47
Arthritis (including joint pain) 37
Chronic pain 34
Anxiety 25
Depression 22
Acute pain 17
Headaches or migraines 15
Attention deficit (hyperactivity) disorder (ADD/ADHD) 15
Seizures or epilepsy 12
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) 12
Lack of appetite, wasting/weight loss or eating disorder 12

Changes in use of other medications

When people in Canada who had consumed cannabis for medical purposes in the past 12 months were asked if cannabis use for medical purposes allowed them to decrease their use of other medications:

People who reported that their cannabis use for medical purposes allowed them to reduce the use of other medications were asked which medications they had been able to reduce. The five most common medications selected were:

  1. non-opioid pain relievers such as acetaminophen (57%)
  2. anti-inflammatories such as ibuprofen (52%)
  3. sleep aids (46%)
  4. opioid pain relievers (29%)
  5. sedatives (23%)

Methods

The CCS uses a 2-step recruitment process. First, respondents are recruited by phone (landline or mobile) from lists of random telephone numbers. Respondents who pass a set of screening questions are then sent a link to an online survey, either by email or short message service (SMS) to their mobile phones. The average time to fill out the 2024 CCS was 26 minutes for respondents who reported consuming cannabis within the past 12 months and 14 minutes for respondents who reported that they had not consumed cannabis.

This summary presents survey findings from the 8th data collection cycle, which started April 4th, 2024 and ended July2nd, 2024. Survey findings were weighted by province/territories, age groups, and sex at birth. Survey results are based on responses from 11,666 respondents aged 16 years and older across all provinces and territories. For additional details the Methodological report will be published on the Library and Archives Canada website.

The CCS was designed to obtain a sufficient number of respondents from key sub-populations. To ensure statistical relevance of results and representativeness, minimum sample sizes were determined and met for these sub-populations. Of the responses received, approximately 3,052 were from people who indicated that they had consumed cannabis in the past 12 months for either non-medical or medical purposes. Table 1 summarizes the sample size represented by the survey.

Table 1: Description of the sample size represented, by age group, sex and province/territories, Canada, 2024
  Females Males 16-19 years 20-24 years 25+ years Total
Canada 5,847 5,819 774 1,240 9,652 11,666
Newfoundland and Labrador 220 192 15 32 365 412
Prince Edward Island 212 184 22 22 352 396
Nova Scotia 270 244 29 42 443 514
New Brunswick 252 240 21 35 436 492
Quebec 1,261 1,206 184 327 1,956 2,467
Ontario 1,471 1,560 231 373 2,427 3,031
Manitoba 251 258 35 65 409 509
Saskatchewan 289 277 41 64 461 566
Alberta 639 697 114 138 1,084 1,336
British Columbia 813 813 76 127 1,423 1,626
Territories1 169 148 6 15 296 317
1 Territories include Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut.

Considerations

When recruited, respondents were informed that the survey was about cannabis. This information may have created a participation bias in that those who consume cannabis may have been more likely to complete the survey. For this and other methodological reasons, the CCS may provide prevalence estimates for cannabis use that are higher than other population-level surveys in Canada.

Starting in 2023, the phrases 'for non-medical purposes' and 'for medical purposes' were removed from several survey questions; people who had consumed cannabis for any purpose in the past 12 months were asked the same questions. This served to significantly shorten the survey while still allowing responses to be disaggregated by cannabis use.

Health Canada monitors the prevalence of cannabis use among people in Canada using several population surveys, including the Canadian Alcohol and Drugs Survey (CADS), the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS), and the Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey (CSTADS). CADS 2023 indicates that 32% of people in Canada age 15 and older (or 10 million) had used cannabis in the previous 12 months (43% among age 15 to 19 years; 52% among age 20 to 24 years; 39% among age 25-54 years; and 19% among age 55 years and older). CCHS 2023 indicates that 21% of people in Canada aged 18 and older (or 6.4 million) had reported cannabis use in the previous 12 months. CSTADS 2021/22 indicates that 18% of students in grades 7 to 12 (approximately 383,000) had used cannabis in the previous 12 months.

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