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.