In Canada, 8-In-10
Drink, Half Gamble, One Fifth Smoke Pot
Equal number drink, smoke pot daily across Canada
In a random sampling
of public opinion taken by the Forum Poll™ among 2271 Canadians adults, 8-in-10
have drunk alcohol in the past year (81%), more than half have engaged in
gaming or gambling (58%) and one fifth have smoked pot or used cannabis (20%).
Four fifths drink, on average, twice a
week
One fifth of
Canadians do not drink (19%) and, among those who do (81%), frequency of
drinking is, on average, about twice a week (1.9 times) including about one
twentieth who drink daily (6%). Drinking is most common among younger Canadians
(under 44 - 83%), the wealthy ($80K to $100K - 91%), in Quebec (86%), among
Green and Bloc Quebecois voters (87%), Francophones (88%), college graduates
(86%) and among those who have used cannabis (90%) or have gambled (87%) in the
past year.
On average,
Canadians who imbibe, do so twice a week (1.9 times), more so among the oldest
(2,3), the wealthy ($80K to $100K - 2.1), in Quebec (2.1), among Bloc voters
(2.2) and among those who have used cannabis (2.4).
Wine is the drink of choice
In total, more than
4-in-10 of those who drink consume wine most often (43%), followed by beer
(32%), then mixed drinks (12%). Few drink straight liquor (6%), shots (2%) or
coolers (3%) most often. Among the youngest, beer dominates (41%) wine (31%),
while mixed drinks are most popular with those under 45 (14%). Males are far
more likely to drink beer (48%) than wine (28%), while the opposite applies to
females (17% and 58%, respectively). The wealthiest are the most likely to
drink beer (36%). Wine dominates in Quebec (54%) while beer is especially
common in Alberta (36%), as are mixed drinks (16%). Conservative voters are
equally likely to drink beer (37%) or wine (38%), while Liberals tend more to
wine (47%) rather than beer (30%). New Democrats split their favour (beer -
35%, wine - 38%). Francophones are much more likely to drink wine most often
(54%) than beer (30%), and much less likely than Anglophones to drink mixed
drinks (6% to 13%). Wine consumption increases with education. Interestingly,
those who use cannabis are much more likely to drink beer (44%) than those who
don’t (29%), and much less likely to drink wine (24% to 48%).
More than half
gamble, on average once a week
Four-in-ten Canadians do not gamble (42%),
and among those who do (58%), average frequency is about once a week (1.0).
Gaming or gambling is most common among the oldest (65+ - 63%), males (61%),
the wealthy ($80K to $100K - 65%), in Quebec (63%), Bloc voters (71%) and among
those with some postsecondary schooling (66%).
On average, those
who gamble do so once a week (1.0), while frequency of play is higher among the
least wealthy (1.3), among Green voters (1.4), the least educated (1.3) and
among those who smoke pot (1.4).
Lottery tickets
by far the most common form of gambling
Two thirds of
Canadians who gamble say they do so with lottery tickets or scratch and win
tickets (62%), and this is most common among the mid aged (45 to 54 - 68%), the
wealthy ($80K to $100K - 68%), in Quebec (68%), among Bloc voters (77%),
Francophones (68%), mothers of children (68%) and the best educated (66%).
Charity lottery tickets follow in a distant second place (10%), but these are
especially popular in Atlantic Canada (15%) and BC (15%) and among the best
educated (15%). Fewer than a tenth game at slot machines (7%), with friends
(5%), at bingo (3%) or at VLTs (2%) or on sport select type lottery tickets
(2%).
One fifth use
cannabis, on average 3 times a week
Four fifths of
Canadians have not used marijuana or cannabis in the past year (80%) and among
those who have (20%), average frequency of use is about 3 times a week (2.8),
including one twentieth or so who consume daily (6%). There are three important
findings here. First, about as many Canadians now smoke pot as those who smoke
tobacco. Second, pot smokers ply their particular vice more frequently than
either drinkers and gamblers. Third, an equal number of Canadians are now
smoking pot daily as are drinking alcohol daily.
Consuming cannabis
is most common among the youngest (34%), males (25%), mid income groups ($40K
to $60K - 26%), in Atlantic Canada (25%) and in BC (26%) and least common in
the prairies and Quebec (15% each). Green voters are especially likely to toke
(36%). Some groups not necessarily identified with marijuana use are also
represented, including the oldest (65+ - 8%), federal Conservatives (14%) and
mothers of children under 18 (16%).
On average, those
who consume cannabis do so three times a week (2.8) and frequency of usage is
highest among the least wealthy (often a proxy for youth - 3.7), in Quebec
(3.2) and Alberta (3.9), among Green voters (3.7%), Francophones (3.3) and among
those who don’t drink (4.4).
Smoking dried marijuana
most common form of use
More than half consume cannabis by
smoking marijuana (57%) most often, followed distantly by those who smoke or
vapourize hashish (10%). Just fewer vapourize their bud (9%), smoke oil (8%) or
consume edibles (7%). Hash use is most common in Quebec especially (21%) and
among the wealthy ($80K to $100K - 15%), New Democrats (23%) and Francophones
(22%). The oldest users (65+) are most likely to use “something else” (38%),
followed by smoking marijuana (34%). Edibles are especially common among this
group (14%).
“These findings confirm some
stereotypes, and confound others; for instance, we know we’re a hard-drinking
country, but who knew wine had supplanted beer as the beverage of choice? And,
while 4 times as many drink as smoke marijuana, the same number are doing each
on a daily basis. Who knew bingo was a New Democrat game? And there is a clear
regional flavour to Canada’s vices. Quebeckers are more likely to be drinkers, less
likely to be pot smokers" said Forum Research President, Dr. Lorne
Bozinoff.
