It’s been five years since cannabis was legalized across Canada, and while its use has increased over several years, Saskatchewan still has some of the lowest uptake in the country.
Even before legalization cannabis use was on the rise, with Statistics Canada saying that rate more than doubled between 1985 and 2017, up to 14.8 per cent from 5.6 per cent.
Polling showed that 22 per cent of Canadians aged 15 years and older reported using cannabis in 2021.
Cannabis use was highest in provinces like British Columbia, Alberta, Ontario and Nova Scotia but lowest in Quebec. Saskatchewan sat below the Canadian average.
The Cannabis Act came into effect on Oct. 17, 2018, making the regulation of it a shared responsibility of both the federal and provincial governments.
Cierra Sieben-Chuback is the owner and operator of Living Skies Cannabis in Saskatoon and said it’s crazy to think that it has been five years since cannabis was legalized.
She said operating through a pandemic and coming out the other side has been a weird experience.
“It’s been a little bit of a whirlwind, a lot of things are different now than they were five years ago,” Sieben-Chuback said.
She recalled not being able to open right on Oct. 17, 2018, noting it was hard for retailers to get product into stores.
Sieben-Chuback said they are almost facing an opposite situation now, saying there’s an oversupply of cannabis in Canada and that it is increasingly more difficult to make purchasing decisions.
“There’s so many products out there and you definitely want to pick the right ones for your customers.”
She said she has expanded to having four retail stores in Saskatoon, noting that customers have a lot of choice and that there are many corporate stores that can do things independent retailers like hers can’t.
“What’s nice about Saskatoon is I feel people really like to support their local businesses, and I hope that trend isn’t just a trend.”
Barb Fornssler is an assistant professor in the School of Public Health at the University of Saskatchewan and said it is possible for people to struggle with their use of cannabis, which can impede things like going to work or family activities.
Fornssler said they don’t see the immediate harms that you would see with other substances like opioids, adding that cannabis can be used to address some medical concerns.
“It really depends on the individuals involved and ensuring that there is an appropriate support network around that person should they start to experience harms from use,” Fornssler said.
She said since the legalization of cannabis there’s been a lot of destigmatizing around its use.
“Because folks aren’t concerned about being criminalized or charged for their possession of cannabis or use of cannabis, I think it’s opened some doors for people to approach health care providers and other professionals and say, ‘Hey, I’m struggling with my use of cannabis.'”
Fornssler said there’s been some education around cannabis over the past few years, saying many people didn’t have the same understanding about things like THC or CBD as they would for something like alcohol.
“Many of us grew up around alcohol and the use of alcohol so we’re a little bit more familiar with, you know, what’s the difference between having two beers or a mickey of vodka.”
She said one of the key factors in terms of use patterns on a population level is usually related to the culture of substance use in the community.
Fornssler said Saskatchewan might not have the highest uptake of cannabis for a number of reasons, but noted that we consume a lot of alcohol.
“In Saskatchewan we consume a lot of alcohol, more alcohol than other provinces, and we tend to have a culture that promotes the use of alcohol more so than one that promotes the use of cannabis.”
She said it could also be tied to availability, noting people are more likely to access alcohol or cannabis the easier it is to reach.
Fornssler said we’re not seeing close to the same amount of harm from cannabis as we would with other substances like methamphetamine, but warned there are still some dangers associated with cannabis, especially for those under the age of 25.
“If you’re under the age of 25 the use of any substance could cause additional harm, as your brain is still in a developmental phase until you’re about 25 years of age.
“So anything we can do to reduce or minimize use before the age of 25 is going to have longer health benefits or better health outcomes.”
She said delayed use makes you less likely to develop dependency or any other harmful concerns.
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