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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104652

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cannabis cultivation and use in 18 countries

Oct 1, 2025
International Journal of Drug Policy
Bernd Werse +13 more

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BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic and the accompanying measures to mitigate infection affected many areas of society, including the supply and use of cannabis. This paper explored how patterns of behaviour among people who cultivate cannabis were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and restrictions. MethodsAn anonymous web survey of people who cultivated cannabis was conducted from Aug 2020 to Sep 2021, spanning 18 countries and 11 languages (N = 11,479). Descriptive statistics and mean comparison tests were conducted. ResultsMost cannabis growers reported that their practices were relatively unaffected by the COVID-related restrictions. While 35.2 % reported difficulties buying cannabis from their usual dealer, <10 % stated that access to materials needed for growing was impaired during the pandemic. Over one-quarter (28.2 %) of respondents increased their cannabis use and 21.4 % also increased cannabis cultivation (more than twice as many as those who said they were growing less or not anymore) while COVID restrictions were in place. People who lost their job or were casually employed were more likely to increase use and cultivation. Overall, the pandemic had little impact on reasons for growing, however, difficulties obtaining cannabis were mentioned as the most prevalent COVID-19-related growing motive. A small number (16 %) reported starting their growing activity during the pandemic. Italian and Portuguese growers were more likely to report shortages in supply and increases in their growing activity. ConclusionsThis study is the first to document an increase in cannabis cultivation activity following COVID restrictions. Increased home cultivation was not only driven by higher use as a result of home isolation, but also by disruptions of wider illegal cannabis supply. Limitations of this study include the non-representativeness of the sample as well as differences in approaches and duration of restrictions in different countries.

Note: looks like a niche area of research and we don't have enough papers to generate a graph.

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Evolution of the Illegal Substances Market and Substance Users’ Social Situation and Health during the COVID-19 Pandemic

May 7, 2021
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
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CitationsShowing 1 of 1 papers

Research Article
10.1186/s12954-025-01199-8

Conceptualizing ‘cannabis harm reduction’: lessons learned from cannabis compassion clubs and medical dispensaries in British Columbia (Canada)

Apr 30, 2025
Harm Reduction Journal
Marilou Gagnon + 1 more

ObjectivesDrawing on a qualitative case study of cannabis compassion clubs and medical dispensaries in British Columbia (Canada), the main goal of this paper is to generate insights that have the potential to advance and broaden the conceptualization of ‘cannabis harm reduction’.MethodsWe undertook a qualitative case study by drawing on seven data sources: (1) online content, (2) news stories, (3) legal documents, (4) policy documents, (5) information about enforcement, (6) interviews with (i) key informants, (ii) participants with operational experience (i.e., people engaged in the active operations of compassion clubs/dispensaries in various roles), and (iii) participants with lived experience of medicating with cannabis, and finally (7) field notes. For this paper, we applied a harm reduction lens to the participant interview data.ResultsApplying a harm reduction lens to the participant interview data allowed us to identify two main conceptual dimensions: structural and operational. The structural dimension focused on the work undertaken by cannabis compassion clubs and medical dispensaries to address a risk environment created by systems, laws, and policies. The main themes identified here were access, safety, and quality. The operational dimension focused on the characteristics of the services provided cannabis compassion clubs and medical dispensaries. The main themes identified here were low-threshold, compassion, and supports. Our findings suggest that these two dimensions worked together to generate conditions conducive to ‘cannabis harm reduction’.ConclusionsBased on our findings, we identified research, policy, and advocacy implications. We argue that research should focus on loss of access, regulation, a broader conceptualization of cannabis substitution, and better integration between cannabis and harm reduction. We also highlight the need for a harm reduction analysis of the Cannabis Act, new community-oriented models to meet the needs of people who medicate with cannabis, and non-profit supply pathways. Finally, we suggest that structurally-oriented advocacy is needed to achieve community-oriented models of cannabis cultivation, distribution, and consumption and that this advocacy would benefit harm reduction more broadly.