Quote:
Originally Posted by TorqueDog
Think of the sort of demographic that is going to answer such a poll. If I'm getting baked, I'm not watching CTV News or going on their website to respond to a poll. I'm probably watching funny animal videos on YouTube and eating peanut M&Ms from the bag.
|
Actually, it isn't far off what Colorado and other legalized states have found. Post-legalization, adult cannabis use in the last 30 days increased from about 11 per cent of the population to 14 per cent. Pot has been decriminalized in the Netherlands for decades, and the Dutch still report low rates of use (5 per cent of adults).
A lot of people who try pot dislike the high and never try again. And there is still a social stigma around it. There's a reason people lined up at those stores in Calgary yesterday were putting jackets over their heads when cameras were around and giving fake names to reporters.
People expecting that legalization will normalize pot and make it an everyday thing most Canadians have a positive attitude about, like alcohol, are kidding themselves. There's a difference between tolerance and widespread approval.
Edit: The CTV polls actually seems well in line with StatsCan polling.
14% of Canadians have used in the last 3 months.
79% of Canadians say they would not try pot or increase their use once it's legalized
Of people who didn't use, 6% said they would be interested in trying it once it's legalized.
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/dail...80418b-eng.htm
Why are people surprised by these numbers? Do they really think 30 or 40 per cent of Canadians smoke pot, or that hordes of people are going to start now that it's legal?