Prevalence of Marijuana Use Among Canadians Aged 15 and Older

"Cannabis was the most prevalently used illegal drug.

"In 2017, the prevalence of past-year cannabis use was 15% (4.4 million), an increase compared to 2015 (12% or 3.6 million), and compared to 2013 (3.1 million). In 2017, past-year cannabis use was more prevalent among males (19% or 2.7 million) than females (11% or 1.7 million), which is consistent with previous cycles. The prevalence of past-year cannabis use among males increased from 2015 (15%), whereas for past-year cannabis use there was no change among females.

"Past-year use of cannabis was more prevalent among youth aged 15 to 19 (19% or 390,000) and young adults aged 20 to 24 (33% or 780,000) than among adults aged 25 years and older (13% or 3.2 million). Past-year use of cannabis among adults aged 25 years and older increased from 2015 (10%), whereas there was no change among youth aged 15 to 19 and young adults aged 20 to 24. The mean age of initiating use of cannabis was 18 years old for males, unchanged from 2015; and 19 years old for females, up from 18 years old in 2015.

"Among people who have used cannabis in the past year, 37% (or 1.6 million) reported using it for medical purposes, an increase from 24% (831,000) in 2015. The survey does not collect information on how people obtained the cannabis for medical purposes.

"Of the methods used to consume cannabis in the past 12 months, smoking was the most common. Ninety-one percent (91% or 4 million) of those who used cannabis in the past year smoked cannabis. Other common methods of consumption include mixing cannabis with tobacco (22% or 942,000), chasing (smoking a tobacco product right after smoking cannabis – 34% or 1.5 million), consuming cannabis in edibles (brownies, etc. – 38% or 1.6 million), and vaporizing (29% or 1.3 million). Those who reported using cannabis may have tried more than one method over the past 12 months.

"The majority (75% or 3.3 million) of those who reported using cannabis in the past year reported using cannabis in the past 3 months, an increase from 2015 (72% or 2.6 million). Of those who had used cannabis in the past 3 months, many reported consuming cannabis on a daily or almost daily basis (32% or 1 million, unchanged from 33% or 840,000 in 2015).

"Provincial prevalence of past-year cannabis use ranged from 11% (750,000) in Quebec to 23% (940,000) in British Columbia."