Most Canadians Support Cannabis Regulations, Even Many Who Use Cannabis | Research

The takeaway

A survey of nearly 17,000 Canadians found majority support for health warnings (63%) and legalization (59%), with high support among cannabis consumers suggesting regulations have not driven people to illegal sources.

Policymakers designing cannabis regulatory frameworks and anyone interested in public attitudes toward cannabis regulation.

62.6% support health warnings on cannabis products

What the researchers found

Support was highest for health warnings on products (62.6%), adult-use legalization (58.5%), and retail window coverings (49.2%). The 30g purchasing limit had the least support (10.1%). As consumption increased, opposition to regulations generally increased, but support remained high even among daily consumers. Provincial policy differences did not significantly affect support levels.

Why it matters

A common concern about cannabis regulation is that strict rules will push consumers to the illegal market. The finding that even frequent cannabis consumers generally support public health regulations suggests that Canada's regulatory framework has been accepted by the people it most directly affects.

The numbers in context

N = 16,812. Support: health warnings 62.6%, legalization 58.5%, window coverings 49.2%, THC vaping limit 40.1%, store density 35.5%, government-only stores 34.6%, edible THC limit 32.3%, advertising restrictions 31.8%, 30g limit 10.1%. Daily consumers vs non-consumers on window coverings: OR 1.43.

How the study worked

National online survey of 16,812 Canadians aged 16+ from Wave 5 of the International Cannabis Policy Study (2022). Weighted logistic regression examined support for nine policy variables. 62% of respondents were assigned female at birth. Analyses controlled for consumption level and provincial policy context.

What this study cannot tell us

Online panel surveys may not reach all demographics. Self-reported support for regulations may not reflect actual behavior (e.g., compliance). The survey was conducted in 2022, four years after legalization, and early opposition may have already softened.

How to read the evidence

Large national survey with nearly 17,000 respondents and appropriate statistical weighting. Strong evidence for Canadian attitudes, though online panels have inherent limitations.

When this study was published

Published in 2025 with 2022 survey data.

The bigger picture

Canada was one of the first major economies to legalize recreational cannabis nationally. Four years in, this study suggests the regulatory framework has achieved public legitimacy. The low support for the purchasing limit stands out as the one regulation that most consumers view as unnecessary.

Questions still open

Would similarly strict regulations be accepted in other countries? Has the purchasing limit affected illegal market activity despite low public support?

Common questions

Do cannabis users oppose all regulations?

No. While opposition generally increased with heavier use, support remained high among consumers for most regulations. The main exception was the 30g purchasing limit, which had very low support across all groups.

Has Canada's regulatory approach worked?

The high consumer support suggests regulations have not driven major pushback. Whether regulations have achieved their public health goals (reducing youth access, minimizing harms) requires additional evaluation beyond consumer attitudes.

Read the original research

Levels of support and consumer perceptions of cannabis regulations in Canada.

The American journal of drug and alcohol abuse, 51(2), 237-253

View on PubMed ↗Publisher’s paper ↗

Citation

Marquette, Anastasia; Hammond, David. (2025). Levels of support and consumer perceptions of cannabis regulations in Canada.. The American journal of drug and alcohol abuse, 51(2), 237-253. https://doi.org/10.1080/00952990.2025.2479152