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.
