Majority Approve of Shopper’s Drug Mart Application for Marijuana License

| Filed under: National

Majority Approve of Shopper’s Drug Mart Application for Marijuana License

Pharmacies, dispensaries seen as most appropriate retail channels

In a random sampling of public opinion taken by the Forum Poll™ among 1474 Canadian voters, 6-in-10 approve of Shopper’s Drug Mart applying to become a licensed marijuana producer for the purpose of retailing medicinal marijuana (61%) and just 3-in-10 disapprove (30%). Just one tenth don’t have an opinion (9%). Approval of this application is characteristic of the youngest (76%), the very wealthiest ($100K to $250K - 71%), in the Atlantic provinces (72%) and BC (67%), among Green Party voters (70%), among those who have used marijuana in the past year (85%) and among those likely to purchase marijuana once it is legal (85%). Disapproval of this application is common to the oldest (37%), Conservatives (41%) and Bloquistes (37%).


Application has no impact on intended store visits

Equal (and relatively small) numbers of voters say they are more likely to shop at Shopper’s Drug Mart (17%) or less likely to do so (19%) if medical marijuana is sold there. The majority, 6-in-10, will not change their store visitation habits if marijuana is present (62%).

One fifth use marijuana now

One fifth of Canadian voters have used marijuana or cannabis in the past year (20%), and this behaviour is especially common to the youngest (39%), males (24%) rather than females (16%), the least wealthy (often a proxy for youth - 34%), in Atlantic Canada (27%) and BC (26%), Green Party voters (41%) and those with some college or university (27%).

More than a quarter will use once it is legal

In total, more than a quarter of Canadian voters say they will purchase marijuana once it is legal (27%), and close to one fifth say they are “very likely” (17%). The profile of those who will buy once it is legal matches the profile of those who use it now, but more than one tenth of the oldest voters say they will use it too (65+ - 13%).


Dispensaries, pharmacies seen as best retail outlets for marijuana, not liquor stores

Three-in-ten voters see either specialized marijuana dispensaries (30%) or pharmacies (28%) as the most appropriate retail venues for legal marijuana. Few choose government liquor stores (18%) or, especially, the method used now for medicinal marijuana, ordering through the mail from licensed producers (5%).


“It is clear that Canadians are as enthusiastic about seeing medical marijuana in the nation’s leading pharmacy chain as they are about legalization in general., in other words, very enthusiastic. They are not as enthusiastic about seeing it sold in liquor stores, Pharmacies, and the current retail distribution system, dispensaries, are preferred. It is also clear there are a not insignificant number of Canadians who will begin using weed only after it has become legal" said Forum Research President, Dr. Lorne Bozinoff.

Lorne Bozinoff, Ph.D. is the president and founder of Forum Research. He can be reached at lbozinoff@forumresearch.com or at (416) 960-9603.