The Impact of Cannabis Legalization in Canada on Adolescents’ Perceptions

Abstract

Since the legalization of cannabis in Canada in October 2018, research has not reached a clear conclusion on how legalization impacts adolescents’ perceptions of the substance. This study sought to examine how the nationwide legalization of recreational cannabis in Canada impacted youth opinions of legalization. Surveys were administered to 398 Grade 8 students in May 2017 (pre-legalization) and 377 Grade 8 students in December 2018 (post-legalization). Participants completed an open-ended question regarding their opinion on cannabis legalization and a ranking of whether legalization of cannabis was very good (1), good (2), bad (3), or very bad (4). Analyses revealed that young adolescents primarily hold negative views toward cannabis legalization. No significant difference existed between theme frequencies or ratings when comparing responses prior to and following legalization. These results suggest that legalization of recreational cannabis use in Canada had little effect on youth perceptions of cannabis legalization.