Canada pulled off a major stunt when it became the second country (after Uruguay) to legalize non-medical cannabis in 2018. At the end of first year, Canadians have reportedly spent $908 million on recreational marijuana. The statistics are anything to go buy, the legalization of recreational marijuana has opened up many new facts. For instance, the sale of cannabis products online has dropped considerably, given that more of regular stores have opened up for users.
Facts at a glance
As per Globalnews.ca, between the period of October 2018 and September 2019, Canadians spent around $907,833,000 on recreational marijuana. The initial response to legalization of recreational marijuana was short of supply. Retailers were pretty sure that the demand for recreational marijuana will surpass the stock and supply. Yukon reportedly had the highest demand for cannabis per capital, while there are no physical stores in Nunavut, which probably explains the lack of solid data. B.C. ranked lowest in terms of spending per capita at $10, compared to the national average of $24.
Where does legalization stand now?
As of July 2019, there were more than 400 stores in Canada that were selling cannabis products. Alberta has the greatest number of stores at over 175, while Prince Edward Island has just 4. Close to 45% of Canadians have access to cannabis physical stores within a radius of 10 kilometres. Expectedly, people in Alberta have more access to cannabis. Things with online sale doesn’t seem too bright in that comparison. Online sales accounted for about 43% in October 2018 when the law was passed, and a year later, this has dropped to less than 6%.
The road ahead
The use of recreational marijuana hasn’t fluctuated hugely after Canada legalized it, but there is no denying that it has put a stop on black sales. As the number of stores selling cannabis and related products continues to grow, there is a strong chance that the use of black-market will stop entirely. For online stores, things can be a bit hard, because more Canadians will buy recreational marijuana from stores, which are now easily accessible in most regions. If you happen to be in Alberta, you will find a cannabis store or supplier within a radius of 3 kilometres on an average.
The Canadian government certainly has made insane money from tax revenue by legalizing recreational marijuana, and more countries are likely to follow suit, sooner or later.
