Alcohol sales changes in a Canadian province after recreational cannabis legalization

IF 4.4 2区医学 Q1 SUBSTANCE ABUSE

International Journal of Drug Policy Pub Date : 2025-05-16 DOI:10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104840

Michael J. Armstrong

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

Cannabis legalization’s impacts partly depend on how it affects use of other substances like alcohol. This observational study analyzed alcohol sales in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, where some government-owned stores sold both cannabis and alcohol.

Methods

The study compared monthly alcoholic beverage sales in Canadian dollars at Nova Scotia liquor stores during 17 months before cannabis legalization and 17 months afterward, i.e., May 2017 to February 2020. Comparative interrupted time series models of aggregate sales contrasted stores that kept selling only alcohol versus those that also began selling cannabis.

Results

Post-legalization alcohol sales by alcohol-only stores and cannabis-selling stores had significantly different initial responses, ongoing trends, and 17-month averages. Cannabis sellers saw initial increases of 0.55 % followed by monthly growth of 0.29 %, whereas alcohol-only stores saw initial decreases of 2.91 % followed by monthly growth of 0.06 %. Post-legalization alcohol sales consequently averaged 3.1 % above pre-legalization levels at cannabis sellers but 2.4 % below at alcohol-only stores; combined sales were 1.2 % below. Differences were larger for beers than for spirits or wines. Results were similar when considering similarly sized stores, stores’ proximity to cannabis sellers, and alternative model specifications.

Conclusions

Nova Scotia’s alcohol sales declined slightly after cannabis legalization, while changes at alcohol-only stores differed from those at stores also selling cannabis. The changes were consistent with government-owned cannabis retailing only marginally affecting consumers’ alcohol purchasing, apparently triggering some substitution and co-use.

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娱乐性大麻合法化后，加拿大一个省的酒类销售发生了变化

大麻合法化的影响部分取决于它如何影响酒精等其他物质的使用。这项观察性研究分析了加拿大新斯科舍省的酒精销售情况，在那里，一些政府所有的商店既出售大麻，也出售酒精。该研究比较了大麻合法化前17个月和大麻合法化后17个月（即2017年5月至2020年2月）新斯科舍省酒类商店每月以加元计算的酒精饮料销售额。总销售额的比较中断时间序列模型将只销售酒精的商店与也开始销售大麻的商店进行了对比。结果纯酒精商店和大麻商店的酒精销售在合法化后的初始反应、持续趋势和17个月的平均值有显著差异。大麻销售商最初增长了0.55%，然后每月增长0.29%，而纯酒精商店最初下降了2.91%，然后每月增长0.06%。因此，大麻合法化后的酒精销售平均比大麻合法化前的水平高3.1%，但只卖酒精的商店比合法化前低2.4%；合并后的销售额下降了1.2%。与烈酒或葡萄酒相比，啤酒的差异更大。当考虑到类似规模的商店，商店与大麻销售商的接近程度以及可选择的模型规格时，结果相似。大麻合法化后，新斯科舍省的酒类销售略有下降，而纯酒精商店的变化与同时销售大麻的商店不同。这些变化与政府拥有的大麻零售一致，对消费者的酒精购买只产生轻微影响，显然引发了一些替代和共同使用。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

International Journal of Drug Policy SUBSTANCE ABUSE-

CiteScore

7.80

自引率

11.40%

发文量

307

审稿时长

62 days

期刊介绍： The International Journal of Drug Policy provides a forum for the dissemination of current research, reviews, debate, and critical analysis on drug use and drug policy in a global context. It seeks to publish material on the social, political, legal, and health contexts of psychoactive substance use, both licit and illicit. The journal is particularly concerned to explore the effects of drug policy and practice on drug-using behaviour and its health and social consequences. It is the policy of the journal to represent a wide range of material on drug-related matters from around the world.