Marijuana Use and Perceptions of Risk and Harm: A Survey among Canadians in 2016

OBJECTIVES To describe marijuana use by Canadians and their perceptions of risk and harm. DESIGN A cross-sectional, structured, online and telephone survey. PARTICIPANTS A nationally representative sample of Canadians. METHODS This survey used random probability sampling and targeted respondents based on age, sex, region and their expected response rate. RESULTS Of the 20% of respondents reporting marijuana use in the past 12 months, they were more likely to be younger and male. The most common form of use was smoking, 79%. When asked about harmfulness, 42% and 41% responded that they considered marijuana more harmful than helpful to mental health and to physical health, respectively. When asked about driving under the influence, 71% responded that it was the same as alcohol. CONCLUSION This research is important for health providers and policy makers seeking to maximize public health through clinical and legislative reform of non-medical use of marijuana.