Canadians living closer to legal cannabis stores were more likely to buy from legal sources
In the first three years of Canadian legalization, proximity to legal retail stores was associated with greater use of legal cannabis sources, while those farther from stores relied more on informal sources.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Distance to the nearest legal cannabis retail store was significantly associated with cannabis sourcing. Respondents living closer to legal stores were more likely to purchase from legal sources, while those farther away used informal or illegal sources more frequently.
Key Numbers
15,311 past-year cannabis consumers surveyed 2019-2021. Distance to nearest legal store was significantly associated with source choice. Closer proximity = more legal purchasing.
How They Did This
Cross-sectional analysis of Canadian respondents in the International Cannabis Policy Study (2019-2021). 15,311 past-12-month cannabis consumers. Assessed distance to nearest legal retail store and cannabis purchasing sources.
Why This Research Matters
A key goal of Canadian legalization was transitioning consumers from illegal to legal markets. This study shows physical access to legal stores is a major determinant of whether that transition happens.
The Bigger Picture
Canada's phased rollout of cannabis retail created natural variation in store access. The finding that proximity drives legal purchasing suggests that jurisdictions slow to open stores may be inadvertently sustaining illegal markets.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Repeat cross-sectional design, not longitudinal tracking of individuals. Store proximity calculated from home address, not accounting for work or travel patterns. Other factors (price, product quality, convenience) also influence sourcing. Cannot confirm self-reported source accuracy.
Questions This Raises
- ?What is the critical distance threshold beyond which legal sourcing drops significantly?
- ?Would delivery services offset the access barrier for those far from stores?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- 15,311 consumers; closer proximity to legal stores = more legal purchasing
- Evidence Grade:
- Large repeat cross-sectional study with geographic analysis. Cannot track individual behavior change over time.
- Study Age:
- Published 2023. Survey data from 2019-2021.
- Original Title:
- Proximity to Legal Cannabis Stores in Canada and Use of Cannabis Sources in the First Three Years of Legalization, 2019-2021.
- Published In:
- Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs, 84(6), 852-862 (2023)
- Authors:
- Wadsworth, Elle(11), Driezen, Pete(7), Dilley, Julia A(7), Gabrys, Robert, Jesseman, Rebecca, Hammond, David
- Database ID:
- RTHC-05009
Evidence Hierarchy
A snapshot of a population at one point in time.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Did Canadian legalization eliminate the illegal cannabis market?
Not entirely. This study shows that proximity to legal stores matters. Consumers living far from legal retail were more likely to continue using informal or illegal sources. Physical access to legal cannabis is a key factor in market transition.
How many legal cannabis stores does Canada have?
Store rollout varied dramatically by province. Some provinces opened stores quickly while others were much slower. This variation created the natural experiment this study leveraged, finding that access drives behavior regardless of legal status.
Read More on RethinkTHC
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-05009APA
Wadsworth, Elle; Driezen, Pete; Dilley, Julia A; Gabrys, Robert; Jesseman, Rebecca; Hammond, David. (2023). Proximity to Legal Cannabis Stores in Canada and Use of Cannabis Sources in the First Three Years of Legalization, 2019-2021.. Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs, 84(6), 852-862. https://doi.org/10.15288/jsad.22-00427
MLA
Wadsworth, Elle, et al. "Proximity to Legal Cannabis Stores in Canada and Use of Cannabis Sources in the First Three Years of Legalization, 2019-2021.." Journal of studies on alcohol and drugs, 2023. https://doi.org/10.15288/jsad.22-00427
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "Proximity to Legal Cannabis Stores in Canada and Use of Cann..." RTHC-05009. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/wadsworth-2023-proximity-to-legal-cannabis
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.