BY BRUCE ANDERSON & DAVID COLETTO
Abacus Data
Here’s a summary of what we found:
- Most people support (46%) or can accept (24%) cannabis legalization. Thirty percent are opposed. Strong support is higher than (25%) than strong opposition (18%).
- A majority in every region of the country support or accept legalization as do Liberal, NDP, and Conservative supporters.
- 70% feel that the rules and regulations set by Health Canada and the Government of Canada for legal cannabis are working well enough.
- 76% believe that cannabis is either better or equivalent to other products adults consume recreationally like beer, wine, and spirits.
- 71% know at least one or two friends or family who use cannabis on a monthly basis.
Acceptance of legalization is tied to how people feel about the way policy and regulation are developing around this change. At this stage in the process, most (70%) feel that the regulatory approach being taken by the Government of Canada is working well or well enough (including 55% of Conservatives).
A majority also say they are either comfortable or comfortable enough with edibles and beverages being available for adults to purchase in retailers licensed to sell cannabis.
The Upshot
As Canada moves towards legal recreational cannabis consumption, most Canadians, in every region of the country and across all political groups, either support or can accept the change.
The prevailing mood is conditioned by the fact that a good number of people have tried the product and / or know people who use cannabis, that using cannabis is no worse than using alcohol, and that the regulatory approach taken to date seems to be judged positively.
Opinions could change as people see legalization move from theory to practice, however, the mood of the country on this change, to this point in time, shows that acceptance is more common than anxiety.
The survey conducted online from September 4 to 15 has a margin of error for a comparable probability-based random sample of the same size of +/- 1.79%, 19 times out of 20.