Teen edible cannabis use increases by 43% after legalization in Canada, study finds – CTV
April 22, 2025
Legalization of cannabis products may be linked to growing use among teens, a new study found.
Teen use of cannabis rose 26 per cent in Canadian provinces that legalized the sale of edibles and extracts in October 2019, according to the study, which published Friday in the journal JAMA Network Open.
Edible use increased 43 per cent, raising concerns about youth-friendly forms of the drug, such as cannabis chocolates, candies, sodas and desserts — the same products responsible for a growing number of child hospitalizations in the U.S.
Based on surveys of more than 106,000 students aged 12 to 17 years old, the study found use remained stable in Quebec, where the sale of these products was still banned.
Canada legalized dried cannabis use in October 2018, and all Canadian provinces except Quebec followed a year later by legalizing the sale of cannabis edibles and extracts.
While Canada’s 2018 law prohibits the sale of cannabis to individuals under 18, the study suggests legalization could have made these products more accessible to teens and influenced their attitudes surrounding use.
Canadian laws require child-resistant, plain and clearly labeled packaging for cannabis edibles, but illicit products sold online and by unauthorized distributors often look like other snacks, according to the study.
