Majority approve of “grow your own” ruling

| Filed under: National, Social Issues

Majority approve of “grow your own” ruling

Most think growing marijuana should be legal for all

TORONTO March 16th, 2016 - In a random sampling of public opinion taken by the Forum Poll among 1567 Canadian voters, including 582 who have used marijuana or cannabis in the past, well more than half approve of the federal court ruling which struck down the prohibition against medical marijuana users growing their own (56%). Just more than one third disapprove of this decision (35%) and one tenth don’t have an opinion (9%). Approval of the ruling is characteristic of the youngest (67%), the least wealthy (often a proxy for youth - 60%) and those in mid income groups ($40K to $80K - 60%), in Atlantic Canada 64%) and in BC (65%), among Liberals (64%) and New Democrats (66%), and even among one third of Conservatives (36%), among mothers of children under 18 (60%), among those who have used marijuana in the past (73%) and among the best educated (post grad - 62%).

One half think all Canadians should be allowed to grow their own

Close to half of Canadian voters agree that legalized marijuana should include legalizing growing it oneself (48%), while just more than 4-in-10 don’t agree (42%). One tenth don’t have an opinion (10%). Once more, agreement with a “grow your own” law is common to the youngest (59%), males (53%) rather than females (43%), the wealthiest ($100K to $250K - 53%), in Atlantic Canada (52%) and, paradoxically, in Conservative dominated Alberta (53%). It is a popular idea with New Democrats (56%) but not among Conservatives so much (38%) and among the best educated (post grad - 51%) as well as among past marijuana users (65%).

Between 4-in-10 and one half have used marijuana

Four-in-ten voters claim to have used marijuana in the past (41%) and a further one tenth decline to answer (8%), so it may be that up to one half of voters have ever used cannabis in some form (49%). Claimed usage is most common to the youngest (57%), males (44%) rather than females (38%), the wealthy ($80K to $100K - 51%), in Conservative Alberta (47%) and in BC, more predictably (47%) and among New Democrats (46%).

“The federal court decision is popular, especially in the context of medical marijuana users. It may be that Canadians don’t want to see these vulnerable patients relying on the corporate marijuana distribution system the government is building. The most curious findings here are that Alberta, Canada’s bastion of conservative ideology, is very high on allowing people to grow their own boo, but is also the province with the highest number of admitted users," 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.