Up in Smoke: Canadian Marijuana Use by Province

Nova Scotia residents smoke a lot of weed, but that’s nothing compared to Canada’s territories -or one B.C. town.

A slate of publicly listed Canadian marijuana companies will likely test the waters in Canada in the coming months, led by the pending listing of of Tweed Marijuana, which raised $30-million through an RTO last week.

Tweed is one of twelve companies that earned a license to grow medical marijuana through Health Canada. It will use the money it has raised to set up shop in Smiths Falls, Ontario.

After marijuana legalization in Colorado brought in millions in taxes in its first month, many other states are looking to get on board. A recent report from research firm ArcView Market Research says the legal market for cannabis in the United States could grow 64% this year to (U.S.)$2.34-billion, and reach $10.2-billion in five years.

If marijuana were broadly legalized in Canada, as many expect will soon happen, who will be lining up? One enterprising Redditor today compiled a nifty chart sourced with data from Health Canada and a study from the University of Calgary. The chart reveals marijuana use by province and territory, and uncovers some stats that might surprise the casual observer. British Columbians smoke the most pot right? That’s a slam dunk. Nope, just 12.1% of residents partake regularly, less than Nova Scotians (12.4%) and far, far less than any of Canada’s Northern Territories.

But only one town can lay serious claim to being Canada’s marijuana capital. That’s Nelson B.C. A website dedicated to enthusiasts says marijuana is “virtually legal” in the cosy interior town.

“There are six places to buy organic matcha tea in the city that’s also widely referred to as Canada’s “pot capital”, said a report from the National Post that detailed the town’s culture.

According to the United Nations, Canadians smoke pot at a whopping four times the world average. That makes Albertans, at just 8.4%, a little more global than the rest of us.

Here’s the chart, courtesy of Redditor “youracat”:

marijuana use by province

About The Author / Nick Waddell

Cantech Letter founder and editor Nick Waddell has lived in five Canadian provinces and is proud of his country's often overlooked contributions to the world of science and technology. Waddell takes a regular shift on the Canadian media circuit, making appearances on CTV, CBC and BNN, and contributing to publications such as Canadian Business and Business Insider.

Comment

Smith says:

March 28, 2014 at 11:53 am

I wonder how much those results are swayed by medical marijuana, given that Nova Scotia has one of the oldest demographics in Canada, while Alberta has one of the lowest.
Chris says:

March 29, 2014 at 4:23 am

No….we just smoke a lot of weed.
Dawna Mann says:

March 29, 2014 at 8:07 am

I wonder how much those percentages are influenced by demographics/per capita? Lower populations in NWT, for example (or Nova Scotia for that matter).
Researcher says:

May 3, 2014 at 4:08 pm

I wonder where these stats come from. Is it only based on medical use. The percentages are unrealistic and there are numerous factors to suggest why. Also, the population and occupations will greatly affect the stats as well.
Etular says:

June 19, 2014 at 4:36 pm

Looking at the actual table from Health Canada, you’ve got your map incorrect – the lowest is Ontario, at 7.9, below Alberta’s 8.4. That’s the only issue, however.
seaweed420 says:

June 4, 2015 at 8:56 am

Who buys factory produced weed, so overpriced and over rated!