Exploring Associations between Cannabis Prices, Stores, and Usage after Recreational Legalization.

Abstract

Introduction: Canada legalized recreational cannabis in October 2018, but commercial retailing took time to develop. This study first explored how self-reported cannabis use prevalence, daily use, product type use, and age of initial use changed during 2019-2023. It then analyzed whether the changes were associated with rising store numbers or falling prices.

Methods: Data on store counts, retail pricing, and cannabis use came from government reports covering 10 provinces over 5 years. Panel data linear regressions analyzed 50 province-year aggregated observations.

Results: There were no significant changes in prevalence among males and people aged 16-24 or in the proportion using cannabis daily. Prevalence among females and people aged 25+ increased; those levels showed negative associations with prices but not stores. Dried cannabis use decreased, while edibles use increased; those also showed associations with prices but not stores. Mean initial age of use increased; it was negatively associated with prices and positively with stores.

Conclusion: Canada's large cannabis retail expansion was accompanied by relatively modest usage changes, most of which showed associations with falling prices but not rising store counts.