44% of Older Canadians in This Survey Used Cannabis, But Most Wanted More Safety Information
Among 1,615 Canadians aged 50 and older, 44% reported current cannabis use, yet more than 60% said there was not enough information about cannabis safety and effectiveness.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
44% reported current cannabis use, 33.2% non-use, 16.5% prior use, and 6.1% were considering use. Nearly half (49.2%) perceived cannabis risks as low or very low. The top concerns were effects on cognition/mental health (40.8%), physical health (19.1%), and insufficient product information (18.0%). About 35% perceived negative stigma among family and friends.
Key Numbers
1,615 respondents aged 50+; 44% current use; 49.2% perceived low/very low risk; 40.8% concerned about cognition/mental health effects; 60.4% said not enough safety information; 63.8% said not enough effectiveness information; 34.7% perceived negative stigma; perceptions influenced by age, sex, usage, and education
How They Did This
Electronic survey of 1,615 Canadians aged 50+ examining cannabis use patterns and perceptions of safety, effectiveness, and stigma. Perceptions assessed with Likert scales and open text. Logistic regression examined how age, sex, usage status, and education influenced perceptions.
Why This Research Matters
Since Canada legalized cannabis in 2018, use among older adults has climbed steadily. This large survey reveals a disconnect: while nearly half of older Canadians are using cannabis, most feel they lack adequate safety and effectiveness information to guide their decisions.
The Bigger Picture
The information gap identified in this study represents a public health challenge: a large and growing population of older cannabis users making decisions with limited evidence-based guidance. Health practitioners and public health campaigns have not kept pace with legalization.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Electronic survey may underrepresent older adults with limited technology access, self-selected respondents may be more interested in cannabis, Canadian results may not apply elsewhere, cross-sectional design captures one point in time
Questions This Raises
- ?What specific safety information do older adults want most?
- ?Are healthcare providers equipped to fill this information gap?
- ?Has the perception of cannabis risks changed since legalization, and in which direction?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 60.4% of older Canadian cannabis users said there is not enough safety information available
- Evidence Grade:
- Large cross-sectional survey with validated measures; provides strong descriptive data but limited by self-selection and electronic recruitment
- Study Age:
- Published 2025
- Original Title:
- Cannabis Use and Perceptions of Cannabis Safety, Effectiveness, and Stigma amongst older Canadians: A Cross-Sectional Survey.
- Published In:
- Cannabis (Albuquerque, N.M.), 8(2), 1-17 (2025)
- Authors:
- Bolt, Jennifer, Movold, Jacob, Fenton, Melanie, Behm, Megan, Williamson, Jill, Jakobi, Jennifer M
- Database ID:
- RTHC-06087
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
How common is cannabis use among older Canadians?
In this survey of 1,615 Canadians aged 50 and older, 44% reported current cannabis use, with an additional 6.1% considering trying it.
What are older adults most concerned about with cannabis?
Effects on cognition and mental health topped the list at 40.8%, followed by physical health effects (19.1%). Over 60% said there simply is not enough safety or effectiveness information available.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-06087APA
Bolt, Jennifer; Movold, Jacob; Fenton, Melanie; Behm, Megan; Williamson, Jill; Jakobi, Jennifer M. (2025). Cannabis Use and Perceptions of Cannabis Safety, Effectiveness, and Stigma amongst older Canadians: A Cross-Sectional Survey.. Cannabis (Albuquerque, N.M.), 8(2), 1-17. https://doi.org/10.26828/cannabis/2025/000306
MLA
Bolt, Jennifer, et al. "Cannabis Use and Perceptions of Cannabis Safety, Effectiveness, and Stigma amongst older Canadians: A Cross-Sectional Survey.." Cannabis (Albuquerque, 2025. https://doi.org/10.26828/cannabis/2025/000306
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Cannabis Use and Perceptions of Cannabis Safety, Effectivene..." RTHC-06087. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/bolt-2025-cannabis-use-and-perceptions
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.