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Cannabis use among Canadian youth is a subject of growing interest, particularly since the legalization of recreational cannabis in 2018. Patterns of cannabis use and attitudes toward its effects have evolved among young Canadians. Cannabis is one of the most used substances among youth. Understanding the trends in cannabis use and the perceptions of its risks are crucial to supporting evidence-informed decision-making and harm reduction. The data in this Data Story are sourced from Health Canada’s annual Canadian Cannabis Survey, 2019 to 2023.
Use & Frequency
In 2023, the Canadian Cannabis Survey began describing medical and non-medical cannabis use. The data on cannabis use in 2023 is for non-medical cannabis use unless otherwise noted.
Frequency of Youth Cannabis Use in Canada, 2023
Key Takeaway:
Across Canada, 53.1% of youth aged 16-19 and 66.2% of those aged 20-24 reported having used cannabis at least once in their lifetimes; nearly 43% of youth aged 16-19 and 48% of those aged 20-24 reported using cannabis within the past 12 months.
The median age of cannabis initiation across Canada is 18 years; this aligns with the legal age for use in most provinces, but not in Ontario, where the legal age to purchase and use cannabis is 19.
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Youth in Canada: The number of youth in Canada aged 15-29 increased by 6.9%, from 6,206,455 to 6,636,740 over the past 15 years (2006 to 2021). The non-youth population increased by 19.5%, from 25,406,440 to 30,355,241.
As a proportion of the overall population, Canadian youth aged 15-29 made up 19.6% of the population in 2006 but only 17% of the population in 2021.
Youth in Ontario: The youth population in Ontario grew by 12.7%, from 2,356,970 to 2,657,060 over the past 15 years (2006 to 2021), whereas the non-youth population grew by 18%, from 9,803,312 to 11,566,882.
As a proportion of the total Ontario population, youth aged 15-29 made up 19.4% of the Ontario population in 2006 but only 18.7% of the population in 2021.
Past-Year Cannabis Use in Canada by Province/Territory
(Aged 16+), 2019-2023
Key Takeaway: Between 2019 and 2023, cannabis use increased in all regions of Canada except Quebec, where it declined slightly from 18.8% in 2019 to 17.5% in 2023. The highest prevalence of cannabis use is seen in the combined Territories (the Northwest Territories, the Yukon, and Nunavut), with 39.2% of individuals reporting use in the past 12 months.
Past-Year Cannabis Use by Province/Territory in Canada (Aged 16+), 2023
In Ontario, 27.4% of those aged 16+ reported using cannabis in the past 12 months.
Past-Year Cannabis Use in Canada by Sex (Aged 16+), 2019-2023
In Ontario, cannabis use by males and females* aged 16+ has followed a similar trend over time, with a higher proportion of males having used cannabis in the past 12 months than females. In 2023, 29.7% of males used cannabis in the last year compared to 25.3% of females.
*This Data Story uses the terms ‘male’ and ‘female’ as sex categories because of the way data is collected by the Canadian Cannabis Survey. YouthREX acknowledges that biological sex is not a binary, but a continuum upon which people are all differently and fluidly situated.
Youth Cannabis Use in Canada by Age Group, 2019-2023
Between 2019 and 2022, a breakdown of cannabis use in Ontario by age group shows that youth aged 20-24 consistently had the highest cannabis use rates, followed by those aged 16-19. However, in 2023, these numbers converged, as cannabis use among youth aged 16-19 increased, while use among 20-24-year-olds declined. Despite this shift, younger people continue to have higher rates of cannabis use compared to older age groups.
Past-Year Cannabis Use in Canada by Race (Aged 16+), 2020-2023
People aged 16+ in Canada who identify as Indigenous have the highest rates of cannabis use in the past year, while those who identify as East/Southeast Asian consistently report the lowest rates of use.
Cannabis Use in Canada by Race and Sex (Aged 16+), 2023
Males of all racial identities have higher rates of cannabis use than females, except for those who identify as Black; 23.3% of Black females reported using cannabis, whereas only 16.3% of Black males did.
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“Indigenous identity” refers to whether a person identifies with the Indigenous peoples of Canada. This includes those who are First Nation (North American Indian), Métis or Inuk (Inuit), and/or those who are Registered or Treaty Indians (that is, registered under the Indian Act of Canada), and/or those who have membership in a First Nation or Indian band.
Youth Cannabis Use in Canada by Physical
Health Status and Age Group, 2019-2023
Among Canadian youth aged 16-19 and 20-24, those who consider themselves to have “excellent” physical health have the lowest rate of cannabis use.
Youth Cannabis Use in Canada by Mental
Health Status and Age Group, 2019-2023
Among Canadian youth aged 16-19 and 20-24, those with better mental health self-ratings have lower rates of cannabis use.
Frequency of Youth Cannabis Use in Canada by Age Group, 2019-2022
Most cannabis users aged 16-19 and 20-24 use cannabis less than once per month. However, from 2019 to 2022, the percentage of daily cannabis use has increased: 20.3% of users aged 20-24 and 17% of users aged 16-19 reported daily use in 2022.
How Cannabis is Obtained in Canada, 2019-2023
Recreational cannabis was legalized at the federal level in 2018 through the Cannabis Act, but provinces and territories are responsible for setting up their own distribution and retail frameworks. Some provinces, like Alberta and British Columbia, allowed retail stores to open immediately after federal legalization; Ontario initially opted for online sales through the Ontario Cannabis Store (OCS) and allowed private retail stores to open in 2019. Between 2019 and 2023, there was a marked increase in users obtaining cannabis from legal storefronts.
How Youth Obtain Cannabis in Canada by Age Group, 2019-2023
For those aged 20-24, obtaining cannabis from a legal storefront has increased drastically, from 24.5% in 2019 to 67.3% in 2023. In most provinces, including Ontario, the minimum legal age to enter a cannabis store is 19; in Alberta the minimum age is 18, and in Quebec you must be 21. Cannabis users aged 16-19 are more likely to get their cannabis from a friend or shared among a group of friends.
Methods of Youth Cannabis Use in Canada by Age Group, 2019-2023
Although smoking cannabis has declined over time, smoking remains the most poapular method of cannabis use at 80%. For users aged 20-24, this is followed by eating cannabis in food (60%); for those aged 16-19, using cannabis in a vapourizer increased significantly between 2022 and 2023, making it the second most used method for this age group.
Cannabis Products Used by Youth in Canada by Age Group, 2019-2023
The top three cannabis products used among past 12-month users in both the 16-19 and 20-24 age groups are dried flowers/leaves, edible products, and vape pens/cartridges.
Cannabis vape pen/cartridge use has steadily increased between 2019 and 2023, while the use of dried flowers/leaves has declined.
The use of cannabis beverages has also increased for both age groups.
This shift in product preference is likely a result of the increasing availability of a wider variety of cannabis products in legal stores, making alternatives like vape pens and beverages more accessible and appealing to consumers.
Reasons for Youth Cannabis Use in Canada by Age Group, 2022-2023
Between 2022 and 2023, there was an increase in cannabis use for non-medical purposes and a decrease in use for both medical and non-medical purposes, medical purposes only, and no use for youth aged 16-19, who tended to experience an increase in overall use.
Youth aged 20-24 experienced a decrease in use for all purposes, with more people not using cannabis in 2023 than in 2022.
Youth Cannabis Use in Canada During
COVID-19 by Age Group, 2020-2022
Cannabis use behaviour changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially among youth who use cannabis for non-medical purposes.
In 2020, 30.8% of youth aged 20-24 tended to use more cannabis for non-medical purposes due to the pandemic, which increased to 39.6% in 2021 and then slightly dropped to 36.2% in 2022.
For youth aged 16-19, the increase in use was slightly higher. In 2020, 31.4% of youth aged 16-19 tended to use more cannabis for non-medical purposes due to the pandemic, which increased to 46.4% in 2021 and then slightly dropped to 40.0% in 2022.
Reasons for Youth Cannabis Use in Canada During
COVID-19 by Age Group, 2020-2022
REASONS FOR USE
Boredom was the most significant reason for the increase in cannabis use during the COVID-19 pandemic: 82.5% of youth aged 16-19 and 79.4% of those aged 20-24 reported using cannabis due to boredom in 2020. Interestingly, this percentage steadily declined from 2020 to 2022 for both age groups.
By contrast, the number of youth citing stress and anxiety as reasons for cannabis use increased over the same period. By 2022, stress had overtaken boredom as the leading reason for cannabis use among youth aged 16-19.
The lack of a regular schedule and loneliness were also frequently reported by a significant portion of cannabis users in both age groups.
Canadian Youth Reporting Cannabis Use Before Driving by Age Group, 2023
While most who reported using cannabis in the past 12 months have not, 19% of those aged 16-19 and 25% of those aged 20-24 reported having driven a vehicle within 2 hours of smoking or vaping cannabis.
Belief That Cannabis Impairs Driving Ability
by Users and Non-Users (Aged 16+) in Canada, 2023
In 2023, 88.6% of non-users and only 79.5% of users believed that cannabis impairs the ability to drive. A significantly higher percentage of cannabis users answered “it depends” than non-users. However, the percentage of cannabis users who believe cannabis use impairs the ability to drive has increased since 2019.
Belief That Cannabis Can Be Habit-Forming by Users and Non-Users (Aged 16+) and by Age Group in Canada, 2023
In 2023, those who had used cannabis in the past 12 months were more likely to believe that cannabis can become habit-forming, compared to those who had not used cannabis in the same period. Younger respondents, those aged 16-24, were also more likely to view cannabis as habit-forming than those aged 25+.
Belief That Cannabis Smoke Can Be Harmful
by Age Group in Canada, 2023
Most youth in both the 16-19 and 20-24 age groups believe that cannabis smoke can be harmful. The percentage of responses affirming this belief has steadily increased each year from 2019 to 2023.
Belief That Cannabis Smoke Can Be Harmful by Users and Non-Users and by Age Group in Canada, 2019-2023
On average, past 12-month non-users tended to believe cannabis smoke to be harmful in comparison with past 12-month users in both 2019 and 2023, except for youth aged 20-24 in 2023.
Beliefs About Cannabis Use During Pregnancy
by Age Group in Canada, 2020-2023
Most youth reported that cannabis use is not okay during pregnancy.
Beliefs About Cannabis Use During Pregnancy
by Sex (Aged 16+) in Canada, 2023
Females (aged 16+) are more likely to believe cannabis is harmful during pregnancy than males. In 2023, 88.5% of females believed cannabis use to not be okay when pregnant, in comparison to 84.3% of males; 12.5% of males also did not know if it was okay to use cannabis when pregnant, in comparison to 8.8% of females.
Beliefs About Cannabis and Mental Health Risks
by Age Group in Canada, 2023
Most youth believe that frequent cannabis use can increase the risk of mental health challenges. However, the percentage of respondents who answered “Yes” to this question decreased across all age groups, for both past 12-month users and non-users, between 2019 and 2022.
Belief That Cannabis Use Can Cause Mental Health Issues by Users and Non-Users and by Age Group in Canada, 2019-2022
While most users believe that cannabis use can lead to mental health issues, past 12-month non-users were more likely to believe this as compared to those who had used cannabis in the past 12 months.
Beliefs About Teenagers’ Risk of Harm from Cannabis
by Age Group in Canada, 2019-2022
Most youth aged 16-19 and 20-24 believe that teenagers are at greater risk of harm from using cannabis.
Sources of Cannabis Health & Education Messaging Reported by Canadian Youth by Age Group, 2019-2022
For youth aged 16-19 and 20-24, social media was the most reported source for education campaigns and/or public health or safety messaging about cannabis. For those aged 16-19, school was the second-most reported location. For youth aged 16-19 and 20-24, the percentage of respondents who reported that they didn’t notice any education campaigns or public health messaging increased each year from 2019 to 2022.
Perceived Credibility of Cannabis Health Messaging
by Canadian Youth by Age Group, 2020-2022
Among youth who reported seeing/hearing education campaigns and/or public health or safety messaging, the perceived credibility of this messaging was relatively high for youth aged 16-19 and 20-24. Specifically, 70% of 16-19-year-olds and 67% of 20-24-year-olds responded “Yes” when asked if they believed the messaging was credible.
REFLECTIONS AND KEY TAKEAWAYS
The composition of Ontario's youth population is undergoing significant transformation. The proportion of youth within the overall population is on the decline.
From 2016 to 2021, the increase in the total number of youth aged 15-29 was solely attributable to non-permanent resident youth, while the Canadian-born youth population declined.
There is a growing representation of youth identifying as a visible minority, particularly among those identifying as South Asian.
Although Indigenous youth represent a relatively small fraction of the total population, the growth in the number of Indigenous youth from 2006 to 2021 has outpaced that of their non-Indigenous counterparts significantly.
DATA DASHBOARD
Curious about how youth in your census division are doing on various indicators? The Data Dashboard is an interactive tool that lets you explore, create, and download tables and visualizations on how Ontario youth are doing along different dimensions at the provincial and local levels (census levels).