In a nationally representative survey, 15.6% of Canadian adults used cannabis products for sleep in the past year, making it the third most common sleep aid after natural products and prescription medications.
Sleep medicine clinicians, public health professionals, cannabis policy researchers, and anyone using cannabis for sleep.
What the researchers found
Among 4,037 Canadian adults, insomnia prevalence was 16.3%. Sleep aids in past year: natural/OTC 28.7%, cannabis 15.6%, prescription 14.7%, alcohol 9.7%. Males more likely to use cannabis (RR 1.33) and alcohol (RR 1.67). Young adults (18-35) preferred cannabis over prescriptions.
Why it matters
Cannabis has quietly become one of the most common sleep aids in Canada, used by more people than prescription sleep medications, largely outside of medical guidance.
The numbers in context
4,037 adults. Insomnia: 16.3%. Cannabis for sleep: 15.6%. Prescriptions: 14.7%. Higher insomnia in females (RR 1.24) and Indigenous peoples (RR 1.77).
How the study worked
Population-based phone interview of 4,037 stratified Canadian adults (April-October 2023) with post-stratification survey weights.
What this study cannot tell us
Phone interview may underrepresent certain populations. Self-reported data. Cannabis product type and dose not captured.
How to read the evidence
Large nationally representative sample with appropriate survey weighting. Cross-sectional design limits insight into effectiveness.
When this study was published
2024 publication using April-October 2023 data.
The bigger picture
Cannabis is now more commonly used for sleep than prescription medications in Canada, a shift that happened without clinical trials establishing cannabis as an evidence-based sleep treatment.
Questions still open
- Is cannabis effective for insomnia compared to cognitive behavioral therapy?
- Does long-term cannabis use for sleep lead to tolerance?
Common questions
Does cannabis help with sleep?
Why do young adults prefer cannabis for sleep?
Read the original research
Prevalence of insomnia and use of sleep aids among adults in Canada.
Sleep medicine, 124, 338-345
Citation
Morin, Charles M; Vézina-Im, Lydi-Anne; Chen, Si-Jing; Ivers, Hans; Carney, Colleen E; Chaput, Jean-Philippe; Dang-Vu, Thien Thanh; Davidson, Judith R; Belleville, Geneviève; Lorrain, Dominique; Horn, Ojistoh; Robillard, Rébecca. (2024). Prevalence of insomnia and use of sleep aids among adults in Canada.. Sleep medicine, 124, 338-345. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sleep.2024.09.044
Explore the wider topic
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