Half Approve of Legalized Cannabis

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Half Approve of Legalized Cannabis

Almost half have no confidence the government has thoroughly evaluated how to keep cannabis out of the hands of minors

Toronto, October 15th – In a random sampling of public opinion taken by The Forum Poll™ among 1226 Canadian voters, half (52%) say they approve of legalized cannabis. 4 in 10 (41%) say they disapprove, while about 1 in 10 (7%) say they do not know.

Respondents most likely to say they approve of legalized cannabis include those aged 34 and younger (74%), males (56%), the most wealthy (65%), living in Atlantic Canada (65%) or BC (63%), with a post-graduate degree (58%).

Legalization approval is higher amongst cannabis consumers, with 9 in 10 (90%) saying they approve.

Respondents most likely to say they disapprove include those 65+ (55%), females (43%), earning $20-$40,000 (47%) or $40,000-$60,000 (44%), living in Québec (56%), with some college/university (46%).

The levels of approval and disapproval are more or less unchanged since June of 2016, where half (54%) said they approve, 4 in 10 (38%) disapprove, and 1 in 10 (8%) said they do not know.

 

Half support amnesty for cannabis offences

Half (54%) say that the Federal government should protect those currently charged with cannabis-related offences from prosecution if their offences would not be illegal after cannabis is legalized. This finding is up four points since April of 2017 (April 26: 50%). Approval is higher amongst cannabis consumers, with almost three-quarters (71%) saying they approve.

A third (33%) say that the Federal government should not, a result unchanged since April 2017 (April 26: 33%)

One-sixth (13%) say they do not know, down four points since April 2017 (April 26: 17%).


Half support edibles

Half (51%) say they approve of the sale of cannabis or cannabis edibles like cookies, bars, or drinks, unchanged since January 2018 (January 16: 52%). Approval is higher amongst cannabis consumers, with almost 9 in 10 (86%) saying they approve.

More than 4 in 10 (44%) say they disapprove, a significant increase since January 2018 (January 16: 37%)

1 in 20 (5%) say they do not know, down six points since January (January 16: 11%).

 

Half suggest cannabis should be regulated like alcohol, not tobacco

Half (54%) say that cannabis should be regulated like alcohol, up four points since September 2017 (September 28: 50%). Amongst cannabis consumers, support for regulation like alcohol is actually below slightly below the average (50%).

A quarter (28%) say cannabis should be regulated like tobacco, down four points since September 2017 (September 28: 32%). Support for regulation like tobacco is actually above the average amongst cannabis consumers (33%).

One-fifth (18%) say they do not know, which is unchanged from September 2017. (September 28: %)

 

Three-quarters not likely to invest in the cannabis industry

Three-quarters (BTM2: 73%) say they are not likely to invest in the cannabis industry, with more than half (57%) saying they are not at all likely to invest. Just over 4 in 10 (44%) cannabis consumers say they are not likely to invest in the industry.

One-fifth (TOP2: 19%) say they are likely to invest, but only 1 in 20 (5%) say they are very likely to invest. 4 in 10 (TOP2: 41%) cannabis consumers are likely to invest in the industry.

About 1 in 20 (4%) say they already invest, while a similar proportion (4%) say they do not know.

Half (50%) said that their opinion on investing in cannabis would change if it prevented them from entering the United States in the future, with 9 in 10 (93%) saying that they would be less likely to invest.

Only about 1 in 10 (7%) said they would be more likely to invest.

 

Only a third feel positive about cannabis

Only a third (TOP2: 34%) feel positive about cannabis, with 4 in 10 (BTM2: 43%) saying they feel negative about it.

One-quarter (23%) say they have no opinion either way.

Only 1 in 10 (10%) say their opinion of cannabis will change once it becomes legalized in Canada, but three-quarters of those (73%) say their opinion will become more positive.

A quarter (27%) say their opinion will become more negative.

 

About half say they’ve tried cannabis

About half (47%) say that they have used cannabis, while the other half (53%) say they have not.

Amongst those that said they have used cannabis, about half (46%) said they’ve used it in the past year. 

Amongst those that said they have not tried cannabis, 1 in 10 (11%) says that legalization will make them more likely to try it.


Amongst cannabis consumers, almost half say $8 a gram is a reasonable price for legal cannabis 

We asked cannabis consumers what a reasonable price would be for one gram of legal cannabis and gave them options from $8 - $17.

Here is what they said:

More than 4 in 10 (45%) said $8

1 in 10 (9%) said $9

One-quarter (25%) said $10

Few (3%) said $11

1 in 20 (5%) said $12

Almost no one (1%) said $13

Almost no one (0%) said $14

Few (3%) said $15

Almost no one (1%) said $16

About 1 in 10 (9%) said $17

 

  

 

 

A third say the most they’d pay is $8

We asked cannabis consumers what is the most they would pay for one gram of legal cannabis and again gave them options from $8 - $17.

Here is what they said:

A third (34%) said $8

1 in 20 (5%) said $9

Almost a third (29%) said $10

1 in 20 (6%) said $11

1 in 10 (9%) said $12

Almost no one (2%) said $13

Almost no one (1%) said $14

1 in 20 (6%) said $15

Almost no one (2%) said $16

About 1 in 20 (6%) said $17

 

 

 


Amongst consumers, the plurality will move toward legal cannabis

Amongst consumers, regardless of the price ($8-$17), the plurality of cannabis users at each price point said they are not likely to continue getting cannabis from their current source.

4 in 10 not confident in where cannabis will be sold

When asked their level of confidence in the government’s evaluation of where cannabis will be sold, 4 in 10 (BTM2: 40%) said they are not confident, with a third (32%) saying they are not confident at all.

A quarter (TOP2: 23%) said they are confident, with 1 in 10 (12%) saying they are very confident.

About one-fifth (17%) were neutral and a similar proportion (20%) said they do not know.

About half not confident in how cannabis sales will be policed

When asked their level of confidence in the government’s evaluation of how the sale of cannabis will be policed, about half (BTM2: 47%) say they are not confident, with a third (35%) saying they are not confident at all.

One-fifth (TOP2: 22%) said they are confident, with 1 in 10 (10%) saying they are very confident.

About one-fifth (17%) were neutral, while a sixth (15%) said they do not know.

More than half not confident in how driving under the influence will be prevented

When asked their level of confidence in the government’s evaluation of how to prevent an increase in driving under the influence of cannabis, more than half (BTM2: 58%) said they were not confident, with more than 4 in 10 (45%) saying they are not confident at all.

About one-sixth (TOP2: 15%) said they were confident, with about 1 in 10 (9%) saying they are very confident.

One-sixth (13%) were neutral, and a similar proportion said they do not know (13%).

 

More than half not confident about cannabis being kept away from minors

When asked their level of confidence in the government’s evaluation of how to prevent cannabis from getting into the hands of minors, more than half (BTM2: 58%) said they were not confident, with more than 4 in 10 (45%) saying they are not confident at all.

About one-sixth (TOP2: 15%) said they were confident, with about 1 in 10 (9%) saying they are very confident.

One-sixth (13%) were neutral, and a similar proportion said they do not know (13%).

 


“On the eve of cannabis legalization, support for legal cannabis remains steady at just over half,” said Dr. Lorne Bozinoff, President of Forum Research. “Legalization doesn’t appear to be convincing many to try cannabis, if they haven’t previously, but it is making people wary of investing in the industry if it affects their ability to travel to the United States.”

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.