More seniors in Montreal are using cannabis: survey

One in four Montrealers say they now use cannabis, according to new data by Montreal public health officials.

According to the Enquête québécoise sur le cannabis survey, there has been a boost in cannabis usage from 17 per cent in 2018 (the year cannabis was legalized) to 23 per cent in 2022.

The increase is most notable in people aged 35 to 44, as well as those 55 years and up.

The survey finds no difference in teens aged 15 to 17 and young adults 18 to 24.

"From a public health point of view, these data support the path taken by Quebec, with strict supervision and a government-owned company in charge of sales," said the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal. "These results provide a better understanding of the situation in Montreal and will help support prevention and harm reduction efforts."

The survey states the frequency of cannabis use remains stable, but modes of use have become more diverse, such as an increase in oral drops, beverages and capsules.

The survey notes that Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC) sales are up from 46 per cent in 2019 to 68 per cent in 2022.

Meanwhile, the number of Montrealers who say they bought cannabis from illegal sources is down from 27 per cent in 2018 to just seven per cent in 2022.

"Legalization has not led to a trivialization of cannabis consumption," said the CIUSSS du Centre-Sud-de-l’Île-de-Montréal. "On the contrary, more Montrealers believe that cannabis consumption entails health risks."

Nevertheless, the social acceptability of "occasional" consumption for non-medical purposes has increased from 47 per cent in 2018 to 63 per cent in 2022.

Officials conclude that strict cannabis regulations have resulted in consumers switching to the legal market while "avoiding an increase in use among young people."

"The regional public health department hopes that releasing these results will help enhance knowledge of the reality in Montreal and support harm reduction and prevention efforts linked to cannabis consumption in the city," officials add.