Public health outcomes of cannabis supply sources: Examining the evidence among Quebec cannabis consumers
Jutras-Aswad, D., Conus, F., Kaur, N., Larney, S., Drouin, S., Rizkallah, É., Djignefa Djade, C.
This study examined the vulnerability profile of cannabis users in Quebec, based on where they purchased their cannabis. Researchers used data collected in the ‘Enquête Québécoise sur le cannabis’ survey (EQC-2019). The EQC-2019 surveyed 1799 adults (19+ years of age) who used cannabis and lived in Quebec. The survey asked participants where they acquired their cannabis in the last 12 months. The researchers grouped participants based on where they purchased their cannabis (i.e., from a government-run cannabis retailer or from an illegal source). The survey also measured participants’ vulnerability by asking about factors including frequency of use, content of cannabis used, and concurrent use of other substances.
This study found that participants who bought from a government-run cannabis retailer (GCR) were more aware of the cannabinoid content of the product they used than those who bought elsewhere. No other differences in vulnerability measures were found between participants who purchased through a GCR and those who did not. Participants who obtained their cannabis from illegal sources were more likely to use cannabis frequently than those who purchased through GCR sources.
Publications:
Drouin, S., Rizkallah, É., Conus, F., Larney, S., Kaur, N., Djignefa Djade, C., & Jutras-Aswad, D. (2023). Association between markers of vulnerability for cannabis-related harms and source of supply: Secondary analysis of a representative population survey. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 68(2), 109-118. https://doi.org/10.1177/07067437221128470