Majority
approve of legal marijuana
One quarter will use if legal; want it sold at marijuana
dispensaries
TORONTO December
21st, 2015 - In
a random sampling of public opinion taken by the Forum Poll™ among 1003 Ontario
voters, close to 6-in-10 approve of legalized marijuana or cannabis (56%) and
this is similar to national rates of approval noted recently (November 4,
national sample - 59%). Just more than a third disapprove of the idea (36%) and
one tenth have no opinion (8%). Approval is common to the youngest (69%), the
wealthier ($80K to $100K - 64%), in Northern Ontario (59%), among Liberals
(69%) and New Democrats (66%) and among college graduates (59%).
One-in-six use marijuana now
Just
less than one fifth of Canadian adults use marijuana or cannabis now (17%), and
this is especially true of the youngest (29%), mid income groups ($40K to $60K
- 29%), in Northern Ontario (23%), among New Democrats (24%) and those with
some college or university (25%).
Close to one quarter will use marijuana if it is legal
Almost
one quarter of adult Canadians say they will use marijuana or cannabis when it
is legal (22%), and, once again, the rate is highest among the youngest (39%),
males (26%) rather than females (19%), in Northern Ontario (27%), among New
Democrats (30%) and among those who didn’t finish college (32%).
Most want to see legal marijuana sold at specialized marijuana
dispensaries
When
asked the most appropriate place to sell legal marijuana the majority approve
of selling it at specialized marijuana dispensaries (57%), while fewer than
half approve the plan to sell it at the LCBO (44%). Far fewer see it being sold
in convenience stores (15%) or by private individuals (17%). Among those who
plan to use it once it is legal, the same pattern applies, except with more
enthusiasm for all channels (dispensaries - 84%, LCBO - 65%, convenience stores
- 40%, private individuals - 44%).
Split opinion on individual grower exemption
Ontarians
are exactly split on whether individuals should be permitted to grow their own
marijuana once it is legal (44%) or not (45%). One tenth have no opinion (10%).
Interest in the individual grower exemption is, once again, highest among the
youngest (52%), mid income groups ($40K to $60K - 49%), in Southwestern Ontario
(51%), among New Democrats (49%) and those with partial college or university
(51%)
Majority see marijuana smoking allowed in private only, “vaping”
in public
When
asked where users should be permitted to smoke legal marijuana, the strong
majority agrees it should be in private only (57%), while 3-in-10 think it can
be smoked wherever tobacco is permitted (31%). Very few believe it should be
allowed anywhere, even where tobacco is not allowed (3%). Among potential users
of legal marijuana, a smaller, but still significant group agrees
marijuana should be smoked in private only (30%). Vaping, or smoking
e-cigarettes, on the other hand, is seen to be appropriate in public where
tobacco is allowed (45%), while one third think it too should only be done in
private (35%). One tenth think vaping should be permitted everywhere, even
where tobacco is not.
Split in opinion on cannabis edibles
Relatively
equal proportions approve of selling marijuana or cannabis edibles like cookies
or bars (46%) or disapprove of it (43%), while one tenth have no opinion (12%).
Potential users overwhelmingly approve of the sale of edibles (92%).
Special marijuana dispensaries best place to sell edibles
Ontarians
believe that marijuana or cannabis edibles are best sold at specialized
marijuana dispensaries (48%), rather than the LCBO (17%) or, especially, at
convenience stores (5%) or by private individuals (7%).
“Well,
it’s official. Legal marijuana will be popular and widely used, and most would
like to see it sold at marijuana dispensaries, which is happening already,
rather than at the liquor store. And Ontarians appear to draw a distinction
between edible marijuana and the stuff you smoke, and see edibles as slightly
less deserving of legalization and distribution," 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.
