Cannabis consumption in Quebec remains stable since legalization

The annual survey that tracks the evolution of cannabis use in Quebec shows no increase in cannabis use in the province over the previous year. Young people (aged 15-20) are less inclined to use cannabis than they were before legalization.

The 2022 Quebec Cannabis Survey shows that 19% of Quebecers used cannabis in 2022, roughly the same proportion as the previous year. The figure remains stable since legalization, which saw a slight increase from 14% pre-legalization to 19% afterwards, for all of Canada.

In Quebec, men are more likely than women to use cannabis, with 23% of men and 16% of women reporting use.

In 2022, young Quebecers aged 21-24 were the most likely to use cannabis, with 40% of those surveyed saying they had used cannabis. Next came the 25-34 age group, with 37%.

Although consumption has increased slightly among adults in Quebec, the proportion of 15 to 17 year-olds reporting cannabis use has remained stable. has also decreased since 2018, year of legalization.

Cannabis consumption in Quebec in 2022

Cannabis vaping on the rise

Although it's not a legal product in Quebec, the report shows an increase in residents vaping cannabis cartridges, from around 19 % in 2021 to 24 % in 2022. Among young people aged 15 to 17 who reported using cannabis, the number of those vaping it is around three times higher, rising from over 24 % in 2019 and from almost 44 % in 2021 to 70 % in 2022.

As in other provinces, smoking cannabis remains the most popular mode of consumption, declining slightly from 85 % in 2021 to 82 % in 2022.

Almost half of respondents (42%) who used cannabis did so less than once a day, and around 19% did so between one and three days a month. About a quarter (24%) used cannabis one to six days a week, and 14% reported daily use.

Approximately 30% of consumers reported using edibles, oils or capsules for ingestion.

The black market is shrinking

Approximately two-thirds of cannabis users (67%) in Quebec reported having purchased cannabis at least once from the Société québécoise du cannabis (SQDC). the same proportion as last year.

Only around 8 % reported obtaining cannabis from an illicit source, compared with 11% in 2021 and 32% in 2018. A further 40 % said they had obtained cannabis from a family member, friend or acquaintance.

Quebec's efforts to raise public awareness of the health problems associated with cannabis use are also proving successful. Some 79% of Quebecers aged 15 and over said they had seen or heard of such campaigns in 2022.

91% of 15-17 year olds said they had seen such messages, followed by 88% of 18-20 year olds and 86% of 21-24 year olds.

The full report can be consulted here.