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Abstract
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INTRODUCTION: Social norms play an important role in cannabis use; however, there is little evidence on how social norms change in jurisdictions that legalize cannabis. The current study examined trends in social norms before and after legalization of non-medical cannabis in Canada in 2018.
METHODS: Data are from the International Cannabis Policy Study, a series of cross-sectional surveys conducted annually with Canadian respondents aged 16-65. Analyses were conducted in 2023 and included data from 58,045 respondents across four waves: the year immediately prior to legalization (2018) and three post-legalization waves (2019-2021). Regression models examined trends in injunctive norms (perceived approval of cannabis) and comfort in using cannabis in six different social contexts adjusting for cannabis use frequency, medical authorization, and sociodemographic covariates.
RESULTS: Perceived social approval of cannabis use and comfort using cannabis in different social contexts was highest among males, frequent cannabis consumers and those that reported medical authorization (p<.05 in all cases). No changes in perceived approval were observed across years, except a temporary decrease in 2020 vs. 2018 (OR=0.87, 95%CI=0.80, 0.95). Modest increases in the comfort using cannabis in six different social contexts were observed in 2019 (ß=0.10, p=.001), 2020 (ß=0.10, p=.001), and 2021 (ß=0.12, p<.001) versus 2018.
CONCLUSIONS: Social norms have remained relatively stable following non-medical legalization in Canada, with only modest increases in comfort using cannabis in different social settings. The findings may reflect widespread cannabis use in Canada prior to non-medical legalization in 2018, as well as comprehensive restrictions on promotion and advertising.
Language: en |