Smoking remains the most common method Canadians consume weed for pleasure.
However, the rate of smoking has declined as pot users in increasing rates used other means, primarily through edibles and vaping.
This shift is among the several findings contained in a new Health Canada survey released Monday (November 19).
According to a summary of the 2018 Canadian Cannabis Survey, 89 percent of people who reported using pot in the past 12 months indicated that they smoke their weed.
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The rate is seven percent lower than the 94 percent smoking rate found in the first national survey in 2017.
The new survey showed eating pot “in food” increased by eight percent to 42 percent in 2018 from 34 percent last year; vaporizing through a vape pen, 26 percent, a 20 percent increase from the previous year’s six percent; and vaporizing through a vaporizer, 14 percent, which is unchanged from 2017.
People who used pot in the past 12 months were also asked about the types of cannabis products they had used.
According to the survey, the top product was dried flower or leaf, at 82 percent. However, this figure represents a six percent decline compared to last year’s 88 percent, mirroring the shift in consumption methods.
Edibles are second, rising to 41 percent, an increase from last year’s 32 percent. Hashish and kief were at 26 percent, which is unchanged from 2017.
Solid concentrates rose to 19 percent from 15 percent in 2017. Liquid concentrate was at 17 percent, up for 13 percent last year.
According to the survey, the most commonly reported frequency for these five products was less than one day a month.
“People who had used cannabis in the past 12 months indicated typically spending close to $73 on cannabis products for non-medical use each month,” the summary states. “People who had used cannabis within the past 30 days reported spending close to $85 in the past 30 days to obtain cannabis for non-medical use.”
As well, women generally reported spending less on cannabis than men.
The survey was held between May and July this year. Recreational pot became legal in the country on October 17, 2018.
Here’s Health Canada’s summary of its 2018 Canadian Cannabis Survey.
