Skip to main content

Table 1 Supplementary characteristics (weighted) of cannabis use among middle and older aged males and females who have consumed cannabis over the past-year, based on the 2017 Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey

From: Cannabis use and patterns among middle and older aged Canadians prior to legalization: a sex-specific analysis of the Canadian Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey

 

Middle and Older Aged Males

% (N)

Middle and Older Aged Females

% (N)

Frequency of cannabis use (past 3 months)

 Less than monthly

27.1 (205,294)

21.1 (114,796)

 Monthly

7.7 (58,193)

14.1 (76,716

 Weekly

19.8 (150,466)

15.5 (84,189)

 Daily or almost daily

25.5 (193,575)

30.9 (167,851)

 Not in the past 3 months

19.9 (7,976,914)

18.4 (8,806,401)

Self-reported cannabis used for medical purposes

 Yes

39.1 (301,447)

56.0 (307,751)

 No

60.9 (469,543)

44.0 (241,833)

Main self-reported medical conditions cannabis is used for

 Chronic Pain (arthritis, back pain, migraines)

63.5 (191,382)

52.2 (160,644)

 Depression

1.9 (5754)

2.1 (6509)

 Multiple Sclerosis/Spinal Cord Injury

1.7 (5094)

8.6 (26,478)

 Anxiety/Nerves

7.4 (22,191)

3.9 (12,126)

 Insomnia

10.1 (30,565)

21.6 (66,536)

 Other

15.4 (46,461)

11.5 (35,285)

Where cannabis is obtained

 Grow my own

11.2 (80,975)

4.0 (21,118)

 Someone grows it for me (medical or recreational)

2.2 (15,992)

1.1 (5889)

 Shared around a group of friends

11.4 (82,593)

3.4 (18,346)

 From family members

39.6 (286,431)

49.3 (262,171)

 From someone else I know

6.6 (47,592)

6.5 (34,474)

 From a dealer (unlicensed)

8.5 (61,623)

5.2 (27,631)

 From a licenced medical dealer

2.9 (21,128)

10.1 (53,880)

 From a dispensary/compassion club

12.6 (91,271)

14.8 (78,975)

 Online

0.5 (3508)

0.7 (3898)

 Other

4.4 (31,481)

4.8 (25,505)

How cannabis is consumed

 Smoked a joint, bong, pipe or blunt

  Yes

89.0 (674,682)

74.3 (404,888)

  No

11.0 (83,645)

25.7 (140,164)

 Mixed with Tobacco (also known as spliff)

  Yes

19.5 (148,241)

13.9 (75,306)

  No

80.5 (610,085)

86.1 (464,834)

 Eaten in foods (ex. brownies, cake, cookies or candy)

  Yes

33.1 (250,761)

45.0 (245,161)

  No

66.9 (507,566)

55.0 (299,891)

 Drank in tea, cola, alcohol or other drinks

  Yes

6.0 (45,226)

3.1 (16,816)

  No

94.0 (713,101)

96.9 (528,236)

 Vaporized with a vaporiser, vape pen or e-cigarette

 Yes

22.4 (170,205)

28.8 (157,137)

 No

77.6 (588,122)

71.2 (387,915)

 Dabbed

 Yes

8.7 (66,045)

4.3 (23,188)

 No

91.3 (690,708)

95.7 (521,863)

Tried and failed to reduce/stop cannabis use (past 3 months)

 Yes

61.9 (31,005)

11.6 (284)

 No

38.1 (19,110)

88.4 (2156)

Mean age at first use

 

21.04

24.28