In 2018, Canada took a bold step forward, legalising the use of cannabis. This move not only sparked interest but also led to an upsurge in its use across the country.
Several studies have been conducted since then, aiming to understand the potential implications of this law on public health.
This article dives into research that scrutinizes the pattern of cannabis use, emphasizing socio-demographic aspects such as race/ethnicity and neighbourhood deprivation level.
Contextualizing the Study: A Look at the Legalisation and its Aftermath
In 2018, when Canada legalised cannabis, the nation witnessed a considerable increase in cannabis usage.
The spotlight naturally turned to understanding whether this legalisation would trigger any changes in problematic patterns of use. In other words, the research interest pivoted towards analysing potential variations in cannabis consumption and the risk associated with its use, mainly stratified by socio-demographic determinants.
Examining Patterns Through a Methodical Approach
The study in question adopted a meticulously designed methodology using data from three waves of the International Cannabis Policy Study’s web-based survey.
The first wave of the survey was conducted prior to the legalisation in 2018, including 8,704 respondents aged 16-65. The following waves, in 2019 and 2020, comprised 12,236 and 12,815 respondents respectively, offering insights post-legalisation.
By linking the respondents’ postal codes with the INSPQ neighbourhood deprivation index, researchers delved into the socio-economic dimensions.
A multinomial regression model helped in examining differences in problematic cannabis use based on socio-demographic and socio-economic factors over time.
Distilling the Data: Key Insights and Observations
The findings were insightful and underscored no apparent change in the proportion of those aged 16-65 in Canada classified as ‘high risk’ users from before to after cannabis legalisation. The proportion remained relatively stable, with a 1.5% in 2018, and marginally increased to 1.6% in 2020.
The story evolved when scrutinizing the socio-demographic factors. There were disparities in cannabis use among different socio-demographic groups.
Notably, respondents from the most materially deprived neighbourhoods were more likely to fall into the ‘moderate’ risk category compared to those from less deprived areas.
However, the comparison for high risk among race/ethnicity groups was limited by smaller sample sizes for some communities. Interestingly, these disparities remained consistent from 2018 to 2020.
Interpreting the Findings: No Increase in Risk, but Disparities Persist
In the grand scheme of things, the two years following cannabis legalisation did not see an increase in the risk of problematic cannabis use. This suggests that the legalisation did not trigger an adverse public health scenario as some critics might have anticipated.
Despite the overall risk not increasing, certain racial minority and marginalized groups exhibited a higher risk of problematic cannabis use.
Towards an Inclusive Understanding of Cannabis Legalisation Impacts
As we navigate the path that Canada has charted with cannabis legalisation, studies like this one offer valuable insights.
While there is no escalation in the overall risk, the persistence of disparities based on socio-demographic factors underlines the need for a more nuanced and inclusive understanding.
It is crucial to continue research in this field and implement policy measures to address the disparities and ensure a safer, more equitable landscape for cannabis use in Canada.
