POR-024-20

Contract # HT372-202923/001/CY

Contract Date: 2020-08-21

Contract Value: $99,920.25

Final Report

Understanding Youth and Young Adults' Interest in, and Usage of, Flavoured Cannabis Vaping Products

Prepared for

Health Canada

HC.cpab.por-rop.dgcap.SC@canada.ca

December 8, 2020

Prepared by

The Strategic Counsel

15 Delisle Avenue, 3^rd Floor

Toronto, Ontario M4V 1S8

Tel: (416) 975-4465 Fax: (416) 975-1883

Email: info@thestrategiccounsel.com

Website: www.thestrategiccounsel.com

Ce rapport est aussi disponible en français sur demande.

Understanding Youth and Young Adults' Interest in, and Usage of, Flavoured Cannabis Vaping Products

Final Report

Prepared for: Health Canada

Supplier Name: The Strategic Counsel

December 2020

This public opinion research report presents the results of an online survey conducted by The Strategic Counsel on behalf of Health Canada. The research study was conducted with 1,501 youth and young adults in October and November 2020.

Cette publication est aussi disponible en français sous le titre: Les produits de vapotage de cannabis aromatisés : intérêt et consommation chez les jeunes et les jeunes adultes.

This publication may be reproduced for non-commercial purposes only. Prior written permission must be obtained from Health Canada. For more information on this report, please contact Health Canada at: HC.cpab.por-rop.dgcap.SC@canada.ca or at:

Communications Branch and Public Affairs Branch

Health Canada

1576 Jeanne Mance Building

200 Eglantine Driveway

Ottawa, ON K1A 0K9

Catalogue Number: H14-361/2021E-PDF

International Standard Book Number (ISBN): 978-0-660-38405-4

Related publications (registration number: POR 024-20)

H14-361/2021F-PDF (Final Report, French)

978-0-660-38406-1

© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Health Canada 2021

Table of Contents

• I. Executive Summary
  • A. Background and Objectives
  • B. Methodology
  • C. Key Findings
  • D. Conclusions
  • E. Limitations
• II. Cannabis Vaping Status
  • A. Frequency of Cannabis Vaping
  • B. Situational Use
• III. Introduction to Vaping
  • A. Age of First Use
  • B. Other Products Used at the Time
  • C. Factors Influencing Initial Interest in Cannabis Vaping
• IV. Motivators for Cannabis Vaping
  • A. Reasons for Choosing to Vape Cannabis
  • B. Medical and Non-Medical Use
  • C. Factors in Selection of Vape Products
• V. Use of Flavoured Cannabis Products
  • A. Frequency of Use of Flavoured Cannabis Products
  • B. Obtaining Flavoured Cannabis Products
  • C. Use of and Preferences for Flavoured Cannabis Vape Products
  • D. Preference for Flavoured Nicotine versus Flavoured Cannabis Vape Products
  • E. Impact of Flavoured Products on Vaping Habits
  • F. Indicators Denoting a Flavoured Cannabis Vaping Product
  • G. Associated Product Usage
• VI. General Attitudes and Usage of Flavoured Products Segmentation
  • A. Attitudes towards Cannabis and Cannabis Vaping
  • B. Usage of Flavoured Product Segmentation
• VII. Sex– and Gender-Based Analysis Plus
  • A. Key Findings from the SGBA+
    • 1. Frequent Cannabis Vapers
    • 2. Early Initiation to Cannabis Vaping
    • 3. Flavour, Taste and Smell a Key Factor in Initial Interest in Cannabis Vaping
    • 4. Introduction to Cannabis Products Via Vaping
    • 5. Frequent Use of Flavoured Cannabis Products
  • B. Conclusions
• VIII. Methodology
  • A. Sample Design
    • 1. Additional Information on the Online Panels
  • B. Pre-test
    • 1. Aspects of the Survey Experience
    • 2. Response Rates and Incidence Rates
    • 3. Recommendations
  • C. Fieldwork and Length of Survey
  • D. Incidence, Response and Completion Rates
  • E. Parental Consent
  • F. Indices and New Variables
  • G. Study Limitations
    • 1. Online Methodology
    • 2. Composition of the Final Sample
    • 3. The Target Audience
• IX. Appendix: Respondent Profile
  • A. Sex and Gender
  • B. Sexual Orientation
  • C. Age of Participant
  • D. Region
  • E. Language
  • F. Ethnicity
  • G. Education
  • H. Household Income
  • I. Living Situation
  • J. Community Makeup
• X. Appendix: Research Instruments
  • A. English Questionnaire
  • B. French Questionnaire

I. Executive Summary

A. Background and Objectives

The Cannabis Act and Cannabis Regulations came into force in Canada on October 17, 2018, creating a new legal framework for the control, production, distribution, sale and possession of cannabis in Canada. While the legal framework provides adults with access to a quality-controlled supply of cannabis, the Act prohibits the sale of cannabis to youth and any products, promotion, packaging or labelling that could be appealing to young people. On June 26, 2019, Health Canada published the Regulations Amending the Cannabis Regulations (New Classes of Cannabis) setting out the rules governing the legal production and sale of three new classes of cannabis, including cannabis extracts (e.g., cannabis vapes). Regulatory controls aim to mitigate public health and public safety risks associated with these products, including their potential appeal to youth. Control measures include restrictions on product ingredients, limits on the amount of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) permitted in a product, and restrictions on the promotion of certain flavours, among other measures. Although cannabis extracts are permitted to include flavouring agents as ingredients, it is prohibited to promote a cannabis extract in a manner that could cause a person to believe it has the following flavours: confectionary, dessert, soft drink or energy drink. However, other flavours such as fruit and menthol are permitted.

The amended Cannabis Regulations came into force on October 17, 2019. As such, new products –including cannabis vapes – began to become available for adult consumers in licensed retail stores in some provinces as of mid-December 2019. Some provinces have taken action to prevent the sale of cannabis vape products or flavoured cannabis vape products thus, the presence of these products in the legal market is still relatively new and varies considerably across Canada. This provides a unique opportunity for Health Canada to explore the usage and appeal of cannabis vape products among certain populations as they enter the legal market.

Vaping, in particular, has become an increasingly popular way for youth and young adults to consume cannabis, according to results from the 2018-19 Canadian Student Tobacco, Alcohol and Drugs Survey (CSTADS)^{Footnote 1} and the Canadian Cannabis Survey 2019 (CCS). ^{Footnote 2} The CCS study highlighted that vaping cannabis with portable devices (e.g. vapes) and dabbing – a process which also uses cannabis extracts intended for inhalation, such as wax – is more popular with 16 to 19 and 20 to 24 year olds than it is with those aged 25 and older.

Previous research conducted by Health Canada in 2018 on nicotine vape products indicated that flavours are a key factor influencing youth experimentation and use of these products. Flavour was cited as the second most popular reason by youth aged 13 to 19 when asked about the reasons why they had started vaping nicotine products^{Footnote 3}. However,to date, there has been less research on the impact that flavour has on youth and young adults who are interested in vaping cannabis and the role that flavours play with respect to their attitudes on, or usage of, cannabis vape products.

The primary objective of this research was to address this gap by gathering information from youth and young adults (aged 15 to 24, who are vaping cannabis extracts intended for inhalation) about their attitudes and behaviours towards these products, as well as the role that products with a flavour other than cannabis flavour play in their usage. Although it is also possible to use a vaporizer to vape dried cannabis flower (sometimes also referred to as vaping cannabis), this research focused solely on vaping cannabis extracts intended for inhalation. Specifically, this research aimed to provide insights into various aspects of the use and appeal of cannabis vaping products, including:

• Frequency of use of products with a flavour other than cannabis flavour, when vaping cannabis;
• Whether they were the first cannabis products tried or secondary to trying other kinds of cannabis products and whether they were using any other vaping products such as nicotine-based vaping products, including flavoured varieties;
• Motivators, influencers and factors that led to their interest and use of these products, including their decision to start using, or to continue using, cannabis vape products;
• Use and appeal of specific flavours as well as the extent to which certain information such as the ingredient list, terpene profile, or name of the product can evoke a sense of flavour;
• Where they source flavoured cannabis vape products from, including both the legal and illegal markets;
• The impact that restrictions on the sale of flavoured cannabis vape products would have on their intention to continue using cannabis products; and
• Whether there are any differences in the behaviours or attitudes expressed by participants depending on a variety of identity factors (e.g. self-identified sex, gender, sexual orientation, age, geography, ethnicity, or education).

B. Methodology

This research was undertaken between October 19^th and November 3 ^rd, 2020 among 1,501 Canadian youth, aged 15 to 17 (n=750), and young adults, aged 18 to 24 (n=751). Respondents were profiled, selected and screened through the use of a nationally representative online panel.

Since the survey was intended to target such a narrow sub-group of the population, only age was set as a hard quota. Through setting soft quotas, the research design also aimed to get a reasonable cross-section of respondents by gender, region and language as per the latest Statistics Canada data. These variables were monitored throughout the period this survey was in field.

More information about the youth and young adults who participated in the survey in terms of standard demographics including the participant's sex at birth, gender, sexual orientation, region, language, ethnicity, education, household income, living situation and community makeup can be found in Section IX - Respondent Profile.

In addition to totals, throughout the report breakouts by the following key subgroups are shown on the right side of the tables:

• Gender: male, female (for the purposes of this report, the terms “male” and “female” refer to participants' gender identity, unless otherwise noted);
• Age: 15-17 years old, 18-24 years old; and
• Cannabis vaping status: frequent vapers (who vape cannabis at least one day a week or more), regular vapers (who vape cannabis one to three days per month), occasional vapers (who vape cannabis less than one day per month, but who have vaped cannabis within the last year) or infrequent vapers (who have not vaped cannabis in the last 12 months).

Conducting the survey online was deemed to be the most appropriate approach for a range of reasons, including: the sensitivity of the topic, the need to include detailed explanations and descriptions within the survey to enhance clarity for respondents, and to avoid any misinterpretation which could adversely affect the validity of the data, and the low incidence of the target group within the population.

A series of screening questions were employed to specifically target those who had vaped cannabis in the past (see Section X for the full list of survey questions). In accordance with Government of Canada and Health Canada standards for conducting public opinion research, consent was obtained from a parent or guardian specifically for the 15-year old respondents. The survey was about 15 minutes in length, but ran anywhere between 8 and 39 minutes in length depending on individual respondent's use of various products and their experience using flavoured cannabis vape products.

All sub-group differences noted in the report are considered significant based on T-Test for Means and Z-Test for percentages.

More information about the survey methodology can be found in Section VIII.

C. Key Findings

Among youth and young adults who are vaping cannabis, many are doing so frequently and in a variety of settings, primarily social. Frequency of use correlates with other key attitudes and behaviours related to cannabis use, in particular having begun vaping cannabis at a relatively early age.

Just under two-thirds of respondents are frequent cannabis vapers (61%), which for the purposes of this research was defined as vaping cannabis at least 1 day per week or more within the last 12 months. Another one-in-five (19%) vape cannabis between 1 to 3 days a month.

• A higher proportion of frequent cannabis vapers are found among the younger cohort, aged 15 to 17 (69%) compared to those aged 18 to 24 (52%); and, among males (75%) compared to females (47%).
• The age at which respondents first began vaping cannabis varies, although one-in-five (20%) frequent vapers began vaping cannabis when they were younger than 13 years of age.

Half (50%) say they were also using other cannabis products when they first began vaping cannabis.

• Over one-third (38%) did indicate these were the first cannabis products they started using, while just over one-quarter (29%) reported that they were also using non-cannabis vapes at the time they started vaping cannabis.

Cannabis vaping occurs in a variety of situations, including in both social and individual settings. Many youth and young adults report that they usually vape cannabis with friends (65%) or at parties/social events (42%). At the same time, a large proportion vape cannabis when they are alone (47%), and this tendency is more common among frequent vapers (57%) relative to those who vape less often.

• Vaping cannabis while driving occurs fairly rarely (only 6% of all respondents reported this behaviour), although a slightly higher proportion of frequent vapers (9%) report doing so.

The motivators which prompted initial interest in cannabis vaping are wide-ranging – general curiosity is foremost among them (81% say it was a somewhat/very important factor). Peer influence also ranks highly (68%) as does the perception that vaping is a safer alternative to smoking (66%). However, the taste and smell of the product (72%) as well as the ability to get products with a flavour that is different from cannabis (e.g., melon, citrus, grape) (65%) are firmly situated within the top 5 motivating factors, ranked by perceived importance.

There is some variability by gender, age and frequency of use in the degree to which each of these motivators is viewed as important, although each of the above-noted factors consistently ranks within the top 5 (out of 8 factors tested) across all sub-groups.

• The ability to get products with a flavour that is different from cannabis has particular appeal among frequent vapers (74%), males (71% vs. 61% for females) and the younger age group (69% for 15 to 17 year olds; 61% for 18 to 24 year olds).
• Flavour is also cited as a key reason why respondents choose to vape cannabis versus using it in other ways, by about two-in-five respondents (42%), although the primary motivator, mentioned by almost half (47%) is convenience. Another one-third (33%) mentioned that they like that they can get flavoured products that do not taste like cannabis.
• And, while price is a key factor for almost half of survey respondents when selecting which vape products (46%) to use, flavour is the next most cited consideration (38%). Flavour is also a stronger purchase driver among youth (44%), compared to young adults (31%).

Flavoured cannabis products are highly popular among respondents– especially fruit and candy-flavoured products. Just over half (51%) of the respondents state they use flavoured products regularly – either very often (33%) or always (18%). Moreover, most respondents, including those aged 15 to 17, find these products are easily obtained regardless of where they live in Canada. Respondents are also able to readily ascertain whether a vape product is flavoured or not by the product name or description in addition to other indicators such as the strain name, information obtained online, from a family member or by a salesperson at a retail outlet, as well as the ingredient list and the packaging.

Regular use (those who reported always or very often using a flavoured cannabis product) of flavoured cannabis products when vaping is higher among the younger cohort, aged 15-17 (58% say they use them very often or always) compared to those aged 18-24 (44%). In addition, almost 9 out of 10 in the younger age group (88%) say that these products are somewhat or very easy to obtain.

• Just over half of respondents say they source these products only through legal channels (51%), but a sizeable proportion say they are sourcing through a mix of legal and illegal channels (28%) or illegal channels only (13%).

Preferences for different types of flavours vary, but a majority (57%) have tried fruit-flavoured products and significant numbers of cannabis vapers have also tried candy-flavoured (40%) and mint or menthol (34%). Somewhat fewer have tried dessert-flavoured (25%), soft drink (20%) or energy drink-flavoured (17%) products.

• There are clear gender differences when it comes to the use of and preference for flavours. Females are more likely to have tried and prefer fruit, candy and dessert-flavoured products.

When asked to imagine what they would do if flavoured products were no longer available through a legal retailer, most respondents say they think they would continue to either vape cannabis (44%) or that they would stop vaping cannabis, but use other cannabis products (36%). A smaller percentage say they would stop vaping cannabis and switch to other flavoured vape products, such as nicotine vapes (17%). Very few think they would stop using cannabis altogether and would not use other vape products (9%).

Among the 44% of respondents who said they would continue to vape cannabis if restrictions were to be placed on flavoured cannabis vape products, a large proportion (66%) said they would do so by vaping non-flavoured cannabis products, while just under half (45%) said they would purchase flavoured cannabis products from an illegal source. However, it is not clear what percentage of those who said they would purchase these products illegally may have been doing so previously.

A short series of attitudinal statements was included in the survey to assess respondents' general views towards cannabis use and cannabis vaping, specifically focusing on benefits and risks associated with use and the environmental context in which it is used. The findings showed that the vast majority of respondents associate specific recreational and social benefits of using cannabis and health benefits with vaping cannabis, particularly when compared to smoking cannabis (e.g., 70% agree vaping is safer). At the same time, there is a relatively high level of understanding of the risks related to cannabis use such as addiction and dependency, problems with memory, learning and decision-making (e.g., 74% agree using cannabis may result in these issues).

Advanced statistical analysis was undertaken to better understand the profile of respondents according to their usage of cannabis vape products and flavoured vape products and their attitudes regarding three specific attitudinal statements regarding the risks associated with cannabis. This produced three broad segments or categories of respondents: Higher Usage (representing 33% of respondents), Medium Usage (44%) and Lower Usage (23%).

The Higher Usage segment is predominantly heterosexual, male, younger (aged 15-17), from households with annual incomes of $60,000 to just under $100,000 and resides in larger centres and urban areas. Of note, this group is more likely, relative to the other two segments, to have begun vaping at an earlier age, report that vaping cannabis was the first cannabis product they started using and to cite taste and smell as well as an ability to get products with a flavour that is different from cannabis as influencing factors.

• Relative to the other two groups, the Higher Usage group is also more inclined to indicate that a primary reason for choosing to vape cannabis rather than use cannabis in other ways is that it gets them more 'high' (i.e. produces a stronger psychoactive effect). This group is also notable in that they demonstrate markedly higher awareness of advertising for cannabis and for use of cannabis in social settings.

A sex- and gender-based analysis plus (SGBA+) was also undertaken to permit Health Canada to explore any differences in behaviours or attitudes of respondents based on the intersection of gender and a variety of other identity factors such as sexual orientation, age, education and community size. A detailed analysis is provided in Section VII. The analysis did demonstrate some variability in usage and behaviours.

• Those who identify as male and who are in the younger cohort, aged 15 to 17, were generally more likely to be frequent cannabis vapers, regularly use flavoured cannabis vape products and more inclined to be influenced by flavours other than cannabis as well as the taste and smell of the product. The same pattern holds true, generally speaking, for the group which identifies as heterosexual females, compared to females overall.
• While there was some variability by community size and educational attainment, there was no consistent pattern.

D. Conclusions

The use of flavoured products is popular among youth, aged 15 to 17, and young adults, aged 18 to 24, who vape cannabis. Flavoured cannabis vape products are regularly being used and obtaining these products is reportedly easy for the majority of respondents. Among youth and young adults who identified as frequent vapers of cannabis, it was found that their experimentation with these products was more likely to have begun at a fairly young age. The findings also show that young people are commonly introduced to cannabis vaping by their peers, although general curiosity about these products also plays a significant role in their initial interest. At the same time, it is also clear from the results of this study that the sensory experience is a key factor motivating initial use, specifically the taste, smell and flavour of cannabis vape products.

E. Limitations

More information about some of the limitations of the study including the online methodology, composition of the final sample, and the target audience can be found in Section VIII – Methodology.

Note to Reader

Unless otherwise noted, results shown in this report are expressed as percentages and may not add up to 100% due to rounding and/or multiple responses to a given question.

MORE INFORMATION

Supplier Name: The Strategic Counsel

Contract Number: HT372-202923/001/CY

Contract Award Date: 2020-08-21

Contract Budget: $99,920.25

To obtain more information on this study, please e-mail HC.cpab.por-rop.dgcap.SC@canada.ca

Statement of Political Neutrality

I hereby certify as a Senior Officer of The Strategic Counsel that the deliverables fully comply with the Government of Canada political neutrality requirements outlined in the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada and Procedures for Planning and Contracting Public Opinion Research. Specifically, the deliverables do not include information on electoral voting intentions, political party preferences, standings with the electorate or ratings of the performance of a political party or its leaders.

Signed: ___________________________________

II. Cannabis Vaping Status

In order to participate in the survey, respondents had to have vaped cannabis at least once in their life. If they indicated they had vaped cannabis, respondents were then asked several questions regarding the frequency with which they vape cannabis and the various types of situations or circumstances in which they typically vape.

A. Frequency of Cannabis Vaping

A large proportion of respondents to the survey indicate they vape cannabis frequently: daily (10%), 5 or 6 days a week (16%), 3 or 4 days a week (19%), 1 or 2 days a week (15%). A small percentage said they have vaped on a less frequent basis: 2 to 3 days per month (12%), 1 day per month (7%), less than one day per month (14%). Relatively few (6%) reported not having vaped cannabis within the last 12 months.

Q6. In the past 12 months, how often did you vape cannabis? Base: Total sample

For analysis purposes, respondents were classified into four discrete categories based on their reported frequency of vaping cannabis, as per the above question. This classification has been employed consistently throughout the remaining sections of the report as a key analytical variable:

• Frequent vaper (61%) – those who vape cannabis at least one day a week or more
• Regular Vaper (19%) – those who vape cannabis one to three days per month
• Occasional Vaper (14%) – those who vape less than one day per month, but who have vaped cannabis within the last year
• Infrequent Vaper (6%) – those who have not vaped cannabis in the last 12 months

Q6. In the past 12 months, how often did you vape cannabis? Base: Total sample

Notably, across both age groups, a majority of all respondents to the survey are classified as frequent vapers (69% among those aged 15 to 17; 52% among those aged 18 to 24).

From a demographic perspective, a higher proportion of frequent vapers tend to be found among the following groups:

• Males (75%);
• Those residing in households earning between $60,000 and $100,000 yearly (74%);
• French-speaking respondents (72%);
• The younger cohort, aged 15 to 17 years (69%); and
• Those of Middle Eastern/African ethnicity (66%).

With respect to vaping habits, frequent vapers are more inclined to:

• Have begun vaping at a younger age – 86% at under age 13;
• Report using flavoured cannabis products always or very often (76%); and
• Say that vaping cannabis was the first cannabis product that they used (65%).

Among female respondents, vaping cannabis tends to be less frequent, and just under half (44%) are classified as occasional vapers (20%) or regular vapers (24%).

Respondents who were classified as occasional vapers (that is, those who said they have vaped cannabis less than one day per month) or infrequent vapers (those who had not vaped cannabis in the last 12 months) were asked whether they had done so more frequently in the past. This follow-up question was asked to gain insight into if those respondents who do not vape frequently now, ever did so in the past. Most (62% occasional vapers, 58% infrequent vapers) said they had not vaped more often in the past, while the remainder (38% and 42%, respectively) said they had.

B. Situational Use

Cannabis vaping occurs in a variety of situations and circumstances, most often in a social setting: with friends (65%) and at parties or other social events (42%). However, just under half of respondents (47%) say they vape cannabis when they are alone. Vaping with other family members is not typical (16%).

By location, a plurality of respondents (41%) indicated that they vape cannabis at home. Relatively few do so at school (14%), at work (10%) or when driving (6%).

Q15. In what situations do you usually vape cannabis? Multi-mention. Base: Total sample

Frequent vapers are more likely, compared to those who vape on a less frequent basis, to have vaped cannabis in many of the situations described, including when alone (57%), at home (46%), with family (19%), at school (17%), at work (13%) and when driving (9%).

Although only a small percentage of respondents stated that they vaped cannabis while driving, results did vary across some sub-groups:

• Respondents who identified their ethnicity as South Asian (16%) are somewhat more likely to say they vape cannabis while driving.
• Respondents who started vaping cannabis when they were under 13 years of age (12%) were also more likely to report vaping while driving.
• A slightly higher percentage of those using flavoured cannabis vape products always or often (9%) indicated they do so while driving, versus those who use these products sometimes (4%) or rarely or never (2%).

III. Introduction to Vaping

The following questions were intended to gauge how and when youth and young adults are first introduced to cannabis vaping and to better understand what prompts their initial interest in these products.

A. Age of First Use

As shown in the table below, the majority of respondents (76%) first began vaping cannabis before the age of 19.

The majority of youth (aged 15-17) started vaping cannabis between 13-18 years old (79%). Another one-in-five (21%) began when they were less than 13 years of age. The results for the older cohort (aged 18-24) were more split with almost half saying they started vaping cannabis after the age of 19 (48%) or between the ages of 13-18 (44%).

Q10. At what age did you first begin vaping cannabis? Base: Total sample
*Respondents aged 15-17 were only permitted to answer <13 or 13-18.

Findings also vary across other demographic groups. The following groups were more likely to start vaping cannabis in the pre-adolescent years (less than 13 years of age):

• Those who identified as homosexual (37%) compared to heterosexual (14%);
• Francophones (30%) compared to Anglophones (11%); and
• Male vapers (16%) compared to female vapers (13%).

With regards to vaping habits:

• A higher proportion of frequent vapers (20%) were also more likely to vape cannabis before 13 years of age compared to those who vape less frequently, which may suggest that age of first use and frequency of use could be correlated.

B. Other Products Used at the Time

This survey also sought to better understand what other products young people were using at the time they began vaping cannabis. In particular, there was interest in determining whether respondents were using other vape products (such as nicotine vapes) prior to starting to use cannabis vapes.

With regards to cannabis use, exactly half of respondents (50%) reported they were already using other forms of cannabis products when they first began vaping cannabis. However, almost two-in five (38%) stated that cannabis vaping products were the first cannabis products they tried.

To better understand co-use between cannabis and nicotine products, young people were asked if they were using non-cannabis vapes and/or smoking tobacco when they first starting vaping cannabis. Overall, co-use at the time of first use was generally low. Less than three-in-ten (29%) respondents said that they were using non-cannabis vapes and only 15% reported also smoking tobacco at the same time.

Q11. Which of the following best reflects your situation when you first started vaping cannabis? Base: Total sample

Looking across demographic groups, a higher proportion of those who reported using other cannabis products at the time they starting vaping cannabis were:

• Those who identified their sexual orientations as bisexual (65%), homosexual (59%), or “other” (76%)
• Young adults (59%, versus 40% of youth)
• Female vapers (53%, versus 46% of male vapers)

Infrequent vapers (39%), younger respondents (34% aged 15-17, versus 25% aged 18-24) and Anglophones (31% vs. 21% Francophones) were more likely to be using other non-cannabis vaping products at the time they started vaping cannabis.

C. Factors Influencing Initial Interest in Cannabis Vaping

A variety of factors were found to be key motivators in prompting young people's initial interest in vaping cannabis. These include general curiosity (81% say it was somewhat/very important), taste and smell (72%), seeing other friends using them (68%), viewing it as a safer alternative to smoking (66%); the ability to get products with a flavour that is different from cannabis (65%), product advertising (47%) and seeing celebrities (44%) or other family members use them (44%).

Include mentions >5%.

Q12. Thinking back to when you first started vaping cannabis, how important were each of the following in you initially becoming interested in these products? Base: Total sample
Q13. Was there anything else that prompted your initial interest in these products? Base: Total sample

The findings from this question do vary across demographic sub-groups and by vaping habits.

• The taste and smell of cannabis vape products was a particularly strong motivator for frequent vapers (78%) and males (77%) compared to females (68%).
• Similarly, the ability to get products with a flavour that is different from cannabis is a particular motivator for frequent vapers (74%), male vapers (71%) compared to female vapers (61%), and has slightly stronger appeal among 15-17 year olds (69%) compared to the older cohort of 18-24 year olds (61%).

IV. Motivators for Cannabis Vaping

This section examines the key motivators for youth and young adults to vape cannabis. In particular, we examine the various elements that are most important to this audience when selecting which cannabis vape product(s) they purchase.

A. Reasons for Choosing to Vape Cannabis

When respondents were asked the main reasons why they choose to vape cannabis rather than use it in other ways, liking the flavour (42%) and liking that they can get flavoured products that do not taste like cannabis (33%) were among the top five reasons cited. Other reasons included: convenience and discretion (47%), easier on the throat than smoking (38%), and that it does not produce as much smoke or smell as smoking cannabis (37%).

Mentions under 1% not included.

Q14. What are the main reasons why you choose to vape cannabis, versus using it in other ways? Base: Total sample

Although convenience, flavour, and being easier on the throat than smoking were the top three reasons cited by respondents across age, gender and vaping status, some differences were noted in responses between groups.

Looking specifically at gender, female vapers are more likely, compared to male vapers, to have chosen to vape cannabis because of its convenience and because it is discrete (52% vs. 41% males) including the fact that vaping does not produce as much smoke/smell as smoking cannabis (43% vs. 31% males). Male vapers are more likely to have selected reasons like they find the flavour appealing (46% vs. 38% females) or that vaping cannabis gets them higher than the alternatives (31% vs 19% females).

Results also show significant differences by age.

• Motivators for the younger cohort (aged 15-17), in terms of their choice to vape cannabis rather than use it in another way, include: finding the flavour appealing (46% vs. 37% of the older cohort) and that vaping cannabis gives them a stronger “high” (i.e. a stronger psychoactive effect) than other cannabis products (29% vs. 21% of the older cohort).
• The older cohort of young adults (aged 18-24) are more likely to report convenience/discreetness (50% vs. 44% of the younger cohort) and less smoke/smell (42% vs. 33% of the younger cohort) as the main reasons they choose to vape cannabis versus using it in other ways.

Notably, frequent cannabis vapers are more likely to state that the flavour is appealing (47%) and that vaping cannabis gets them higher than other cannabis products (31%) as motivators to vape, compared to those who do so less often.

B. Medical and Non-Medical Use

The majority (61%) of youth and young adults report vaping cannabis primarily for non-medical purposes. Of the remainder, slightly less than one-quarter (23%) use cannabis for medical purposes. Another 16% say they vape cannabis for medical and non-medical purposes equally.

Of the 23% who said they primarily use cannabis for medical purposes, over three quarters (78%) do so with a medical document from a healthcare professional while 17% do so without.

Q8/9. Combined. Base: Total sample
Q8. In the past 12 months, have you used cannabis for medical purposes? By medical purposes, we mean used to treat a disease/disorder or to improve symptoms associated with a disease/disorder.
Q9. Thinking about how you currently vape cannabis, are you typically using it for medical purposes (using it to treat a disease/disorder or to improve symptoms associated with a disease/disorder) or for non-medical purposes? Base: Have used cannabis for medical purposes.

C. Factors in Selection of Vape Products

The plurality of respondents identified price (46%) and flavour (38%) as two of the most important factors they consider when selecting a cannabis vape product. About one-third said that the THC or cannabidiol (CBD) content (35%) and/or the quality of the product (32%) were also important factors. Fewer, but still a significant proportion, view the product safety reviews (22%) and the cannabis strain (20%) as important factors.

Factors such as the product name (11%), packaging (10%), and the manufacturer and/or grower (10%), and terpenes present (5%) were important to fewer than one-in ten respondents.

Q16. Which of the following factors are most important to you when selecting which vape product(s) to purchase? Base: Total sample

Purchase drivers did very significantly across some key demographic groups, as follows:

Price:

• Price appears to be a more important driver for Anglophones (49%), compared to Francophones (31%).

Flavour:

• Flavour is a stronger purchase driver among the younger cohort, aged 15-17 (44%, vs. those aged 18-24 31%), and for males (42% compared to females 35%).

THC or CBD

• The level of THC or CBD in the vape product is a stronger driver for Francophones (43%, vs. Anglophones 34%), young adults (41%, vs. youth 29%), as well as males (38%, vs. females 32%).

Quality of product/vape

• Lastly, a higher proportion of males (35%) cited the quality of the vape product to be an important purchasing factor, compared to females (30%).

Overall frequent vapers tended to have a number of stronger purchase drivers, compared to those who vape less often including: flavour (42%), the product name (14%), the product packaging (13%), and the presence of terpenes (7%).

V. Use of Flavoured Cannabis Products

A primary objective of this research was to better understand the use of flavoured cannabis products among young people who vape cannabis. A series of questions were included in the survey to gauge frequency of use of flavoured cannabis products, the various types of sources from which respondents obtain these products, the impact and appeal of specific flavours, and associated product use (e.g., other cannabis products used and use of flavoured varieties of these products). Prior to answering this series of questions, respondents were provided the following definition of what constitutes a flavoured cannabis vape product: When we use the term flavoured cannabis vape products, we are referring to cannabis vape products with a flavour (e.g. melon, citrus, grape) that is different from the flavour commonly associated with cannabis.

A. Frequency of Use of Flavoured Cannabis Products

The vast majority of respondents (90%) have tried a flavoured cannabis vape product. Among this group, just over half (51%) use flavoured cannabis products regularly – either very often (33%) or always (18%). Just over one-quarter (27%) use flavoured cannabis products sometimes, while about one-in-ten say they use these products rarely (12%).

Q18. When vaping cannabis, how often do you use flavoured cannabis products? Base: Total sample

Frequency of use of flavoured cannabis products varies considerably by vaping status and across key demographic groups.

Frequent cannabis vapers are much more likely to use flavoured cannabis products always or very often (64%) compared to those who say they vape cannabis regularly (37%), occasionally (27%) or infrequently (21%). However, half or more of occasional (50%) and infrequent vapers (60%) say they rarely or never use flavoured cannabis products.

Flavoured cannabis vape products are also used more frequently among:

• Those who identify as Middle Eastern (68% report using them always/very often) or South Asian (63%), with respect to their ethnicity;
• Males (61%);
• Francophones (59%); and
• The younger cohort of cannabis vapers, aged 15 to 17 (58%).

Similarly, use of flavoured cannabis products is also higher among respondents living in provinces and territories with known restrictions on the sale of cannabis vape products or on the sale of flavoured cannabis vape products (60%), compared to those without restrictions (48%).

A follow-up question was asked of those who responded that they rarely or never use flavoured cannabis products to better understand the reasons why.

Among those who indicate that they rarely use these products, the main reasons cited, in about equal proportions, are that the products are more expensive (35%), they have a hard time finding these products (34%) and that they do not like the flavour options or they prefer the taste of cannabis (31%). Far fewer said it was because they have never seen the products before or did not know they existed (16%).

Includes mentions >5%.

Q19. Why did you say you RARELY use flavoured cannabis vape products? Base: Those who use flavoured cannabis products rarely (at Q18)
c Caution, small base size

While there is some variability across sub-groups, the top three reasons offered as to why flavoured products are rarely used remain the same across demographics and by vaping status. However, further analysis is limited given small base sizes.

The reasons cited by those who say they never use these products were similar to those reported above, but a much larger percentage (55%) in this group say they have never seen the products or were unaware of them. About one-quarter (24%) say they do not like the flavour options or prefer the taste of cannabis, while far fewer cited reasons such as difficulty finding the products (15%), or the fact that these products are more expensive (13%).

Includes mentions >5%.

Q19. Why did you say you NEVER use flavoured cannabis vape products? Base: Those who never use flavoured cannabis products (at Q18)
c Caution, small base size

In line with the findings reported above, there is some variability in the reasons given for never using flavoured cannabis products across the various sub-groups although the small base sizes prevent reaching any definitive conclusions. Nevertheless, over half or more of respondents cited that they were unaware of these products as the primary reason for never having used them, regardless of gender, age or vaping status.

B. Obtaining Flavoured Cannabis Products

The vast majority find it easy (85%) to obtain flavoured cannabis vape products – either somewhat (57%) or very easy (28%). Very few claim it is difficult (15%) – either somewhat (14%) or very (1%) difficult – to obtain these products.

Q20. In general, how easy or difficult is it for you to obtain flavoured cannabis vape products? Base: Those who always, very often, sometimes or rarely use flavoured cannabis products (at Q18)

Perceived ease of access varies minimally across demographic groups and by vaping status.

It is also worth noting that there were no significant variations in response to this question by respondents who live in provinces with or without known restrictions on the sale of cannabis vape products.

Those who vape flavoured cannabis products report obtaining them from a range of sources, as shown in the table below. Most commonly, respondents report obtaining these products from a friend (42%), a legal storefront (32%), a legal online source (25%), someone else whom they have asked to obtain the products on their behalf (23%), or through sharing among a group of friends (22%).

It is important to note that since some respondents who would not be able to legally purchase cannabis vape products (i.e. those aged 15-17 and those living in provinces that do not permit the legal sale of cannabis vape products) did report obtaining them from legal sources, the responses to this question should be interpreted with caution.

Q21. Where do you get the flavoured cannabis vape products that you use/have used? Base: Those who always, very often, sometimes or rarely use flavoured cannabis products (at Q18)

There is some variability in the sources identified by age group, which in large part is likely a reflection of the minimum age at which Canadians are able to legally purchase cannabis products. Younger vapers, aged 15 to 17, are somewhat more likely to source flavoured cannabis vape products from informal and/or illegal sources compared to their older counterparts:

• A friend (50% vs. 34% among those aged 18-24)
• Someone else whom they ask to obtain the products for them (30% vs. 15%)
• A group of friends, among whom they share these products (25% vs. 18%)
• A dealer (22% vs. 16%)
• An acquaintance (18% vs. 11%)
• A family member (17% vs. 10%)
• An illegal storefront (10% vs. 7%)

By contrast, those aged 18 to 24 are more likely to source these products from:

• A legal storefront (43% vs. 22%)
• A legal online source (29% vs. 20%)

Those who say they obtain flavoured cannabis products from a family member, friend or group of friends, or an acquaintance were asked whether, as far as they knew, these individuals obtained the products via a legal source. The results shown in the table below highlight that most believe others are obtaining these products from a legal source. Although, depending on the source (e.g. a friend or an acquaintance) anywhere from 9% to 26% of respondents admit to not knowing if the product was from a legal or illegal source.

Q22a-e. Thinking about when you get flavoured cannabis vape products from (a family member, a friend, a group of friends where it is shared, an acquaintance, someone else), as far as you know does this person get them from …? Select all sources that apply. Base: Base size varies.

Overall, when the findings from these two questions (Q21 and Q22) are combined, a slim majority (51%) of those vaping flavoured cannabis products report procuring these products only through what they believe to be legal sources. A significant percentage of respondents – just over one-quarter (28%) – report purchasing these products via both legal and illegal sources, and just over one-in-ten (13%) are relying only on illegal sources.

C. Use of and Preferences for Flavoured Cannabis Vape Products

The most common flavours tried include: fruit (57%), candy (40%) and mint or menthol (34%). About one-quarter (25%) have tried dessert-flavoured cannabis vaping products, while about one-in-ten have tried flavours such as coffee (21%), soft drink (20%), tobacco (18%), alcoholic and energy drink flavoured products (17% each).

Q23. Which of the following flavours, if any, have you tried when it comes to vaping cannabis? Base: Those who always, very often, sometimes or rarely use flavoured cannabis products (at Q18)

All respondents, regardless of whether or not they had tried a flavoured cannabis vape product, were asked what flavours would most appeal to them. Patterns, in terms of preference, closely align with actual use as reported by those vaping flavoured cannabis products. Over half (55%) report a preference for fruit-flavoured cannabis vaping products. Other flavours noted include: candy (39%), mint or menthol (27%), and dessert-flavoured products (26%). Other flavours, such as soft drinks (21%), coffee (18%), energy drinks (17%), alcoholic drinks (15%), and tobacco (12%) are less appealing. Notably, fewer than one-in-ten (6%) say they would prefer cannabis flavour.

Q24. Regardless of whether you have vaped flavoured products or not, which of the following flavours, if any, are most appealing to you when it comes to vaping cannabis? Base: Those who always, very often, sometimes or rarely use flavoured cannabis products (at Q18)

D. Preference for Flavoured Nicotine versus Flavoured Cannabis Vape Products

The subset of respondents who indicated they use e-cigarettes (e.g., vape liquid with nicotine in it) and who also said that they vape flavoured cannabis products at least sometimes were asked about their preference for one product over the other and which product they had started using first.

Overwhelmingly, most (81%) agreed, either strongly (34%) or somewhat (46%), that they prefer the overall flavour and taste of flavoured cannabis vape products to flavoured nicotine vape products. Just one-in-five (19%) disagreed, either strongly (6%) or somewhat (14%).

Q30. Thinking now about the flavours used in cannabis vapes in comparison to the flavours used in nicotine vapes, please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following statement: I prefer the overall flavour and taste of flavoured cannabis vape products versus flavoured nicotine vape products. Base: Use e-Liquid with nicotine and vape flavoured cannabis products at least sometimes. Re-proportioned to exclude ‘don’t know’ responses.
c Caution, small base size

E. Impact of Flavoured Products on Vaping Habits

Almost four-in-five (79%) of those who vape flavoured cannabis products say that the ability to get these products is important to their choice to continue vaping cannabis (48% say somewhat important; 31% say very important). The remainder say it is either not very important (16%) or not important at all (5%).

Q25. Overall, how important is the ability to get flavoured products in your choice to continue to vape cannabis? Base: Those who always, very often, sometimes or rarely use flavoured cannabis products (at Q18)

This view is fairly consistent across all sub-groups, although strongest among males (87% say it is important vs. 73% females), frequent vapers (85% vs. 67% infrequent vapers), and those aged 15 to 17 (84% vs. 74% of those aged 18-24).

When respondents were asked to imagine what they would do if flavoured cannabis products were no longer available for purchase from a legal retailer in Canada, just under half (44%) say they would continue to vape cannabis, while slightly more than one-third (36%) thought they would stop vaping cannabis, but would use other cannabis products. A smaller proportion felt they would stop vaping cannabis but use other flavoured vape products (17%). Very few (9%) imagined they would stop using cannabis altogether and would not use other vape products.

Q26. If flavoured cannabis vape products were no longer available to purchase from a legal retailer in Canada, what impact would that have on you? Base: Those who always, very often, sometimes or rarely use flavoured cannabis products (at Q18)

There was little variability in responses across sub-groups with a few exceptions:

• The plurality of frequent vapers felt they would continue to vape cannabis (49%) while the plurality of infrequent vapers say they would stop vaping cannabis and use other cannabis products (46%).
• Among both males and females, the most common response was that they think they would continue to vape cannabis. However, a slightly higher percentage of females (13%) say they think they would stop using cannabis altogether and would not use other vape products, compared to males (5%).

Those who said they would continue to vape cannabis (44%) were then asked how they would do so if those products were not legally available. Responses indicate that a significant proportion (66%) think they would switch to vaping non-flavoured cannabis products and over two-in-five respondents (45%) say they would continue to vape flavoured cannabis products by purchasing them from an illegal source.

Q27. Which of the following best describes how you would continue to vape cannabis, if restrictions were to be put on flavoured cannabis vape products? Base: Would continue to vape at Q26
BTS: Base size too small to report

By vaping status, frequent vapers were more likely to report that they would continue vaping flavoured cannabis products by purchasing them from an illegal source (50%), compared to a much smaller proportion of those who are regular (30%), occasional (39%) or infrequent vapers (20%).

Looking at this question by the frequency at which respondents use flavoured cannabis products, those who frequently (always or very often) use flavoured cannabis products are more likely to say they think they would continue to do so by purchasing them from an illegal source (54%) compared to those who rarely or never use flavoured products (26%).

It is not clear, however, what percentage of those who said they think they would purchase these products illegally, may have been doing so previously.

Q27. Which of the following best describes how you would continue to vape cannabis, if restrictions were to be put on flavoured cannabis vape products? Base: Would continue to vape at Q26

F. Indicators Denoting a Flavoured Cannabis Vaping Product

All survey respondents, including both those who have vaped flavoured cannabis products and those who have not, were asked several questions in order to better understand what aspects of the product or the packaging might lead them to assume it is flavoured. The product name or description (61%) is cited most frequently as a key indicator of flavouring. However, other popular choices included the strain name (55%), information found online about the product (55%), information provided by a family member or friend (54%) or by someone at the store (54%), the ingredient list (53%), the colour of the packaging (45%) and the terpene(s) contained in the product (34%).

Q28. Regardless of whether you have vaped flavoured cannabis products or not, have any of the following aspects ever made you think that the cannabis vaping product you were considering purchasing or using was flavoured? Base: Total sample

G. Associated Product Usage

All respondents were asked whether they had consumed cannabis in other ways and just under two-thirds (63%) responded in the affirmative.

Q32. Apart from vaping cannabis, do you consume cannabis in other ways? Base: Total sample

Notably, more than half of all respondents, regardless of gender, age or vaping status, indicated that they have consumed other forms of cannabis in the last 12 months, in addition to vaping.

The most common alternate forms of cannabis used include edible products (64%) and dried flower/leaf (60%). About one-third indicated they use cannabis concentrates or extracts (32%) or cannabis oil (32%). Fewer said they use hashish (27%), cannabis beverages (25%) or topicals (22%).

Q33. In the past 12 months, what other cannabis products have you used? Base: Consume cannabis in other ways

Note that for the following two questions only a subset of all respondents were asked these questions. Sample sizes may be small and should be interpreted with caution.

Those who say they had used hashish or cannabis concentrates in the last 12 months (59% of respondents overall) were then asked whether they had ever used a flavoured variety of these products. Responses as shown in the table below indicate that about half of those who had used shatter (56%) say they used a flavoured variety of this product at some point. Just over one-third had used flavoured varieties of hash (37%), wax (35%) and budder (35%), while just under one-third had done so when using butane honey oil (31%), resin (31%) or rosin (29%), and about one-quarter had used a flavoured variety of kief (26%).

Q34. Among the following cannabis products that you said you used in the past 12 months, have you ever used a flavoured variety of any of those products? Base: Have used hashish/kief or cannabis concentrate/extracts in past 12 months (Base sizes vary)

Those who had used a flavoured version of these products were then asked about the frequency with which they did so. Just over six-in-ten (61%) of those using flavoured hash said they did so always or very often when using this product. About half or more also said that they use flavoured versions always or very often when using shatter (57%), resin (56%), kief (55%), wax (54%), budder (54%), butane honey oil (52%) and rosin (48%).

Q35. How often do you use a flavoured version versus an unflavoured version of the following product? Base: Have ever used a flavoured variety of product (Base sizes vary)
c Caution, small base size

Small sample sizes for each of the sub-groups do not permit further analysis across demographics or by vaping status.

VI. General Attitudes and Usage of Flavoured Products Segmentation

A limited series of attitudinal statements were included in the survey to ascertain respondents’ views on cannabis use and cannabis vaping in general. The responses to these statements are reported in this section. Further analysis of attitudes was also undertaken, employing advanced analytical techniques and including responses to other questions pertaining to vaping status as well as the frequency of use of flavoured cannabis vaping products.

A. Attitudes towards Cannabis and Cannabis Vaping

Based on levels of agreement with the statements shown in the table below, the majority of respondents believe the use of cannabis is socially acceptable and that there are benefits associated with it. Many find using cannabis relaxing and view it as a social or recreational activity:

• Using cannabis helps me relax (86% somewhat/strongly agree);
• Using cannabis can be beneficial (85%);
• I use cannabis mostly for fun (81%);
• Using cannabis is socially acceptable (77%); and
• I use cannabis mostly with others in social settings (72%), although over two-thirds (68%) also agree that they prefer to use cannabis on their own.

Moreover, close to half (48%) agree that there should not be a minimum age for using cannabis products.

A large share of respondents also believe that cannabis use is safer for their health, as compared to smoking tobacco (81% agree) and, in particular, say that vaping cannabis is safer for one’s health than smoking it (70%). Overall, the consensus view is that there are very few adverse effects from using cannabis (68% agree). At the same time, there is a reasonable level of awareness of the health impacts, specifically that cannabis use may result in dependence and addiction (74% agree) and that daily use can cause problems with memory, learning and decision-making (74%).

Many say that it is important to know the ingredients in the cannabis products they use (82% agree) and this is likely correlated with respondents’ views regarding the relative safety associated with cannabis use.

Q17. Please indicate whether you agree or disagree with each of the following statements. Base: Total sample

Agreement on the above-noted statements varies across demographic sub-groups, by region, as well as by vaping status and vaping habits. These differences are examined more closely in the following section.

B.Usage of Flavoured Product Segmentation

Undertaking a segmentation of respondents is helpful to understand more about the discrete sub-groups of cannabis vapers. Of particular interest in this survey was learning more about the sub-group of participants who use flavoured cannabis vape products frequently (always or almost always) when vaping. Profiling the segments in terms of their demographic characteristics, general attitudes and behaviours allows for more precision in the crafting and targeting of communications and educational materials.

Five questions were used to create a simple usage index – lower, medium, and higher usage – based on responses to the following questions:

• The two usage measures:
  • Q.6 – Frequency of vaping cannabis in past 12 months
  • Q.18 – Frequency of use of flavoured cannabis products when vaping cannabis
• Three attitudinal statements (using an agree-disagree scale):
  • Q.17a – Vaping cannabis is safer for your health than smoking cannabis
  • Q.17f – There are very few adverse effects from using cannabis
  • Q.17n – I don’t think there should be a minimum age for using cannabis products

Points were assigned to every possible response for each of the above questions with a total score running from a low of 0.8 (e.g., responses associated with lower usage attitudes and behaviours) to a high of 4.0 (e.g., responses associated with higher usage attitudes and behaviours). All respondents were then assigned a point score and cluster analysis was run against this index. The resulting segmentation created three ‘usage bands’ or segments which follow a normal distribution. The table below shows that those respondents classified as ‘higher usage’ represent one-third (33%) of respondents, while the plurality (44%) are classified as ‘medium usage’ and just under one-quarter (23%) are ‘lower usage.’ The mean score for the ‘higher usage’ group, at just over 3.4 is close to the upper limit of 4.0.

A profile of the ‘higher usage’ segment is outlined below, based on cross tabular analysis. This segment is predominantly:

• Heterosexual (86%)
• Male (61%)
• Younger, aged 15-17 (61%)
• households with annual incomes between $60,000 to just under $100,000 (46%)
• Residing in larger centres with populations of 500,000 or more (40%) and living in urban areas (63%). Notably, the ‘low risk’ segment is characterized by those more likely to be living in suburban areas (41%)

While the majority of those in the ‘higher usage’ segment reside with their parents or guardians, a significantly higher percentage (23%) in this group live with a boyfriend, girlfriend, spouse or partner compared to those classified as ‘medium usage’ (15%) or ‘lower usage’ (14%).

A higher proportion of Francophones can be found in the ‘higher usage’ group (21%), compared to those classified as ‘medium’ (16%) or ‘lower usage’ (8%).

In terms of attitudes and behaviours towards vaping, the ‘higher usage’ segment is more likely, relative to those in the ‘medium’ and ‘lower usage’ segments to say that:

• They first began vaping cannabis very early, at under 13 years of age (24% vs. 11% among those classified as ‘medium usage’ and 5% for the ‘lower usage’ segment.
• Vaping cannabis was the first cannabis product they started using (46% vs. 37% and 29%, respectively).
• Taste and smell (41% vs. 32% and 19%) and ability to get products with a flavour that is different from cannabis (40% vs. 20% and 12%) were influencing factors, along with product advertising (33% vs. 10% and 5%), seeing other friends using them (39% vs. 25% and 23%) as well as other family members (26% vs. 8% and 4%).
• One of the reasons they choose to vape cannabis versus using it in other ways is because it gets them more “high” than other cannabis products (33% vs. 26% and 12%).
• The product name (17% vs. 10% and 2%) and product packaging (15% vs. 10% and 4%) are important factors when selecting a vape product to purchase.
• It is ‘very or somewhat easy’ (94% vs. 84% and 71%) to obtain flavoured vape products.
• The ability to get flavoured products is ‘very important’ (44% vs. 27% and 14%) in their choice to continue vaping cannabis.

The table below shows the variation in levels of agreement with the battery of attitudinal statements across the three usage segments. For almost all statements, there is a higher level of agreement among the ‘higher usage’ group as compared to the other two risk segments (those items for which there is a statistically significant difference are highlighted in green).

The variance between the ‘higher usage’ and ‘medium usage’ segments is shown in parentheses. Leaving aside those statements that were used to create the usage segments (which have been bolded), there are marked variances on the following:

• Greater awareness of advertising for cannabis (32 points higher); and
• Use of cannabis primarily in social settings (20 points higher).

Q17. Please indicate whether you agree or disagree with each of the following statements. Base: Total sample

VII. Sex- and Gender-Based Analysis Plus

Sex- and gender-based analysis plus (SGBA+) is an analytical process used to assess how diverse groups of women, men, and gender diverse people may experience policies, programs and initiatives. A report conducted for Health Canada in 2019 found that although research on cannabis was rapidly expanding, research focused specifically on sex and gender differences in cannabis use was lacking.^{Footnote 4} Given the findings of this report, one of the main objectives of this survey was to analyze the results in a manner that would allow Health Canada to explore whether there are any differences in the behaviours or attitudes expressed by participants depending on the intersection of gender and a variety of identity factors.

For the purposes of the SGBA+, gender identity is used as the primary variable for analysis rather than sex at birth. Although the results for these two questions closely track each other, self-reported gender identity is deemed to be more relevant for the purposes of this analysis. In addition to gender identity (Q.2), the other key variables which Health Canada sought to analyze the results based on are:

• Sexual orientation (Q.36)
• Age (Q.3b)
• Education (Q.38)
• Community size (Q.40)

A. Key Findings from the SGBA+

While the results presented thus far in the report highlight any differences in response rates which are unique for particular demographic groups (e.g. females, youth, those of a particular ethnicity), this section aims to analyze the data based on the intersection between these identity factors and gender. In particular, Health Canada sought to apply this kind of analysis to a few key groups of respondents, including:

• Frequent cannabis vapers (based on response at Q.6);
• Those who started vaping cannabis at an early age (based on response at Q.10);
• Those whose initial interest in cannabis vaping was driven, at least in part, by the ability to get products with a flavour that is different from cannabis (based on response at Q.12);
• Those who indicated that cannabis vapes were the first cannabis products they started using (based on response at Q.11);and
• Those who frequently (‘always/very often’) use flavoured cannabis products (based on response at Q.18).

A step-wise process was undertaken in order to produce this analysis. First, the data for each of the above-noted questions was filtered by gender identity (male/female/other). Given the very small group of those who identified as another gender (n=22), this analysis focused only on those who identified as either female or male gender. The small base size for this third category limits the utility of any further analysis of this segment, and specifically the identification of statistically significant differences across key sub-groups of the population against the average for that segment as a whole.

Once the data was filtered according to gender identity, two sets of cross-tabulations were produced for each of the five key questions noted above – one set specific to those identifying as female and one for those identifying as male. The cross-tabulations included, as banner points, the following key identity variables: sexual orientation, age, education and community size. This format permits a closer examination of the intersection of gender identity with these other identity variables. Each variable was collapsed into 2-3 sub-groups to ensure a large enough sample size to perform a robust analysis of the data. Statistical testing (T-Test) was also applied to highlight any differences (at the 95% level) within sub-groups, as well as between sub-groups relative to the average for females and for males on each of the questions analysed. The results of this analysis are detailed below.

1. Frequent Cannabis Vapers

Overall, just under two-thirds (61%) of all respondents to the survey indicated they were ‘frequent’ cannabis vapers, based on their usage in the past 12 months. A smaller percentage of those identifying as female (47%) are classified as frequent vapers, relative to those identifying as male (75%).

The charts that follow show variations across the key identity variables examined for those who reported being frequent vapers. The tables in this and the following sections have been structured to highlight any statistical differences across sub-groups for each of those who identified as female and for those who identified as male (cells highlighted in red indicate a statistically significant difference from the average).

Among those who identify as female, certain sub-groups were more likely (as compared to the overall average) to report being frequent cannabis vapers, they include:

• The younger cohort, aged 15 to 17 (55%; 8 points above the average)
• Heterosexuals (51%; 4 points above the average)

A higher proportion of those who identified as male are classified as frequent cannabis vapers (75%). However, closer examination of differences among sub-groups for those identifying as male reveals a pattern which is similar to that found among those who identify as female. The subgroups which are more likely (as compared to the average) to be frequent cannabis vapers are:

• The younger cohort, aged 15 to 17 (81%; 6 points above the average)
• Heterosexuals (76%; 1 point above the average)

2. Early Initiation to Cannabis Vaping

Relatively few survey respondents, overall, reported that they began vaping cannabis under the age of 13 years (14%).

An examination through the filter of gender identity shows that just over one-in-ten (13%) of those identifying as female started vaping cannabis prior to age 13. While there were no statistically significant differences by sexual orientation, the data reveals a higher proportion of those identifying as female who began vaping cannabis at a very young age among:

• The younger age group, aged 15 to 17 (20%; 7 points above the average)
• Those living in small (20%; 7 points above the average) and medium-sized (16%; 3 points above the average) communities
• Those attending, having some or having completed post-secondary education (17%; 4 points above the average)

A similar percentage of those identifying as male, compared to those identifying as female, began vaping cannabis when they were under the age of 13 (16% vs. 13%, respectively). Within this group, the following sub-groups indicated a higher than average likelihood of starting to vape cannabis when they were less than 13 years of age:

• Those residing in smaller communities of less than 40,000 residents (25%; 9 points above the average
• The younger group, aged 15 to 17 (22%; 6 points above the average)
• Those residing in mid-size communities of 50,000 to 500,000 residents (19%; 3 points above the average

3. Flavour, Taste and Smell a Key Factor in Initial Interest in Cannabis Vaping

Another group of interest in this survey were those who cited one or both of the following as somewhat or very important factors which influenced their initial interest in cannabis vaping: the ability to get products with a flavour that is different from cannabis, or the taste and smell of the product. These factors were cited as important (somewhat or very) by a large proportion of cannabis vapers overall – 65% indicated the ability to get products with a different flavour from cannabis; 72% cited taste and smell.

Over three-quarters (78%) of those who identify as female cited one or both of these as factors in their initial interest in cannabis vaping. This factor was cited more often, compared to the average, by heterosexuals, who identified as female (82%; 4 points above the average).

An even higher proportion of those identifying as male cited either or both of these as factors influencing their initial interest in cannabis vaping (87%, compared to 78% among those who identified as female). Notably, those in the younger age cohort, aged 15 to 17 years old stand out as being more influenced by one or both of these factors (90%; 3 points above the average).

4. Introduction to Cannabis Products Via Vaping

Over one-third (38%) of survey respondents reported that cannabis vaping was the first way in which they were introduced to cannabis products.

One-in-three (34%) of those identifying as female indicated that initially began using cannabis by vaping. This percentage is higher among:

• Females, aged 15 to 17 (45%; 11 points above the average)
• Heterosexuals identifying as female (39%; 5 points above the average)

A larger share of those identifying as male (42%) reported vaping cannabis as the first cannabis products they had used. There is some variability within this group by sexual orientation, age, education, community size and ethnicity, with the following groups reporting a greater likelihood of this being the case:

• Youth and young adults residing in mid-size communities (48%; 6 points above the average)
• Those with at least some post-secondary education (48%; 6 points above the average)
• The younger age group, aged 15 to 17 (46%; 4 points above the average)
• Heterosexuals (44%; 2 points above the average)

5. Frequent Use of Flavoured Cannabis Products

Another group of interest included those who frequently vape flavoured cannabis products – those that reported they ‘always’ or ‘very often’ vape flavoured cannabis products when vaping cannabis. This group comprises half (51%) of all cannabis vapers surveyed.

For the group of respondents who identified as female, about two-in-five (42%) frequently use flavoured cannabis products. And, within this group, those more likely to frequently vape flavoured cannabis products includes:

• Younger cannabis vapers, aged 15 to 17 (50%; 8 points above the average)
• Heterosexuals (45%; 3 points above the average)

Use of flavoured cannabis products is much higher among those identifying as male, compared to those who identify as female (61% versus 42%, respectively). And, within the group of those identifying as male, higher proportions of the following sub-groups report doing so:

• Youth and young adults residing in mid-sized centres (67%; 6 points above the average)
• The younger age cohort of 15 to 17 year olds (64%; 5 points above the average)

B. Conclusions

The SGBA+ highlights a number of key groups who are more likely to exhibit behaviours that were of most interest to this research. At a very broad level:

• Those who identify as male are more likely than those identifying as female to exhibit almost all of the following behaviours, including frequent use of cannabis vape products, regular use of flavoured cannabis vape products, influenced by flavours other than cannabis as well as taste and smell of the product, and a somewhat greater propensity to be initiated into cannabis use via vaping.
• The younger cohort, aged 15 to 17, regardless of whether they identify as male or female, exhibits similar behaviours across the board, based on the analysis detailed above.
• Those identifying as both female and heterosexual are more likely than females, overall, to exhibit almost all of the above noted behaviours, including frequent use of cannabis vape products, regular use of flavoured cannabis vape products, influenced by flavours other than cannabis as well as taste and smell of the product, and a somewhat greater propensity to be initiated into cannabis use via vaping.

Some variability by community size and educational attainment is evident on some of the questions of interest, but there is no consistent pattern.

VIII. Methodology

A. Sample Design

Respondents were profiled, selected and further screened through the use of a nationally representative online panel. Due to the difficulty of reaching this target group, the sample was sourced and aggregated from multiple online panels.

The data was collected using a non-probability sampling method, targeting youth and young adults aged 15-24 years old. Hard quotas were set by the age of respondent to ensure an even split between youth (aged 15-17) and young adults (aged 18-24). Parental consent was sought for those under age 16, as further explained in Section E below.

Although research conducted via online panels does not follow the protocols for a random, representative survey (and as such will not have a margin of error applied to the results), we monitored soft quotas by gender, region and language to ensure a good representation in accordance with the overall 2016 Statistics Canada Census data. As this is not a survey of the general population, the final sample does not necessarily reflect Census data by gender, age and region. Rather, it reflects the distribution of youth and young adults who have vaped cannabis as well as the distribution of this target audience within the panel, by gender and region.

Respondents from all regions of the country participated in the study, however it should be noted that the results reflect the make-up of the panel and targeting of panellist by age, and may not necessarily accurately reflect the distribution of cannabis vapers by province. Nevertheless, the large final sample size overall, and for each of the age cohorts, offers a robust data set for sub-level analysis.

As non-probabilistic online panels were used for this study, a margin of error does not apply. The results of the survey are only reflective of this target audience.

1. Additional Information on the Online Panels

The panel partners used for this study have extensive experience managing panels for online research across Canada. The panels are recruited though various online portals to ensure demographically balanced respondents. Partners manage all aspects of the panel, from recruitment, registration, and removal of those who would like to retire from the panel, to communicating regularly with panel members and administering surveys to them. They also enforce strict guidelines and ensures each panelist only participates in research surveys no more than twice a month. However, to be a respondent to this type of Government of Canada survey, panel members may not have participated in any Government of Canada survey as a member of this panel, or a survey on similar subject matter, within the past 30 days.

Panel Practices

The panels accessed by TSC from partners have been carefully built in order to ensure that they are responsive, reliable and representative – the foundations for quality research.

The panel is:

• Multi-sourced - Recruited by email marketing with over 100 diverse online partners (avoiding the bias associated with limited source recruitment).
• Research only - No marketing of any sort (which can systematically bias sample). We only do online fieldwork.
• Incentivized - At a low level for participation. This is respectful of a panelist’s time spent; ensuring thoughtful, considered responses are coupled with healthy response rates.
• Carefully managed – Panelists are not over contacted ensuring panel membership is a positive experience.
• Frequently refreshed – Panelist’s are not over used ensuring sufficient fresh sample for ongoing tracking work.

Panel Rules

In order to ensure a positive membership experience for panelists, coupled with panel integrity for researchers, our panel partners apply a series of survey participation “rules”. They hold the entire participation history of every panelist. This, coupled with very flexible panel management software, enables them to also be able to apply rules for specific client surveys.

Panel rules include:

• Panelists can only be selected for one open survey at a time
• Restrictions on total number of surveys taken
• Panelists cannot complete a survey on the same subject within a 3-month period

Panel Recruitment/Refresh Practices

Recruiting campaigns are run across a broad range of recruiting sources to ensure an extensive reach across the online Canadian population. Media locations are continuously re-balanced to ensure key panel demographics are representative of the Canadian population. Importantly, the panel is over-weighted with younger panelists to compensate for the lower responsiveness of this demographic.

Panelists provide opt-in consent to participate in periodic research on a wide range of topics. When registering, panelists provide the following background information:

• Gender
• Education (highest level)
• Month and year of birth
• Current employment status
• Marital status
• Industry in which panelist works
• Parent or guardian
• Nearest major city
• # of people in the household
• Forward sortation area (FSA) – first three characters of Canadian postal code
• Gender and year of birth of
• Annual household income before taxes
• Other members of household

Additional profiling information is collected from panelists over time to enhance the ability to precisely target low incidence groups. Using panelists’ background information, samples for individual studies are drawn proportionately to census data for province, age and gender to ensure representativeness. As a further measure, quotas are also set and enforced within the online survey program.

B. Pre-test

Following the Government of Canada’s Standards for Public Opinion Research for Online Surveys, pre-testing was undertaken from October 8-13, 2020, prior to launching the survey. The survey was pre-tested among n=22 respondents in a soft launch (14 in English and 8 in French) prior to running live.

In terms of survey length, the shortest interview was 8 minutes, while the longest was 23 minutes, with the average being about 13 minutes.

Results from the pre-test were provided to Health Canada and did result some additional changes to the survey in order to specifically help improve the pre-test response and incidence rates. Given the low incidence of this target group, the 22 pre-test completes were retained as part of the final data set.

1. Aspects of the Survey Experience

Pre-test respondents were asked to provide feedback on various aspects of the experience completing the questionnaire, including overall ease of completion, comprehension, length and general interest in the topic. Overall, the feedback from respondents who completed the survey was quite positive. The vast majority respondents surveyed agreed, either somewhat or strongly, that:

• The survey was easy to complete (95%);
• The questions asked were straightforward and easy to understand (95%);
• The length of the survey was reasonable (91%); and
• The topic was interesting (91%).

2. Response Rates and Incidence Rates

Based on the pre-test, the initial response rate was low (~1%), with only 22 completes received from a total of 3,400 invitations sent. Of the 22 completed pre-test surveys, 6 respondents were between the ages of 15 and 17, and 5 of which were redirects from parents, suggesting that this group in particular was going be more difficult to reach.

The incidence rate for the survey was also lower than expected at 11%, versus the original 20% estimate, based on a literature review of studies undertaken more generally on cannabis and nicotine use. Upon closer review of the pre-test data, it was clear that there was a significant drop-off/termination rate at Q.5.

Based on discussions with our panel providers, a number of factors could have contributed to these low rates, including:

• Pre-testing over Thanksgiving holiday weekend while students may be away from their computers, gone home or parents/students may have been busy or otherwise occupied – over a longer duration in field we would expect to see some uptick.
• Given that this study is on an ‘illegal’ activity for 15-17 year olds, parents with children in this age range may be reluctant to permit their child to participate. Similarly, respondents 15-17 years of age, may feel hesitant to disclose information on their cannabis vaping use, especially if they have been asked to complete this survey by their parents.

3. Recommendations

The recommendations provided to Health Canada were intended to ensure that sample maturation was closely managed and to maximize response rates, particularly if the incidence rate did not increase in field.

The following recommendations were implemented following the pre-test:

• The language in the introduction and the pathway into the survey was softened to broaden the scope away strictly focusing on cannabis vaping, but more to reflect collecting information on the use of both cannabis and non-cannabis products.
• The consent information to parents of 15 year olds was revised to reflect similar changes to those mentioned above.

C. Fieldwork and Length of Survey

Following the pre-test, the fieldwork for this survey was conducted from October 19^th to November 3^rd, 2020. On average, the survey took 15 minutes to complete but ran anywhere between 8 and 39 minutes in length.

D. Incidence, Response and Completion Rates

In total 1,501 respondents completed the survey, with an incidence rate of 20%.

The overall response rate was 10%. A total of 91,704 invitations were sent, of which 9,082 respondents started the survey.

The overall completion rate achieved across all sample sources was 92 percent.

The following outlines the calculations:

Response Rate = Interviews Started/ Respondents E-mailed

Completion Rate = ( Completes + Screen outs + Quota fulls )/ Total # of Click Ins

10% = 9,082 /91,704

92% = 9,188 / 9,942

E. Parental Consent

As per the Government of Canada Standards for Conducting Public Opinion Research for Online Surveys, parental consent was obtained for those under the age of 16 prior to participating in the survey.

Parents and/or guardians of 15 year olds were specifically targeted through panel profile data. This group of parents were provided with the following information in the initial email invitation to ensure they had a full understanding of the questions that would be asked and how their child’s data would be used.

• Why is this study being done? Health Canada regularly conducts research among youth and young adults to gauge attitudes and behaviours related to smoking, alcohol and drugs, including cannabis products. Surveys, like this one, provide data that is critical in assessing the effectiveness of control measures which have been put in place to protect young people from inducements to using these types of products.
• What will your child be asked to do? Your child will be asked to fill out a 12-15-minute survey. Responses from the survey will provide Health Canada with timely and reliable data on young people’s awareness of, views and usage trends regarding these products. Your child’s participation is voluntary. All of their answers will remain anonymous and completely confidential. The Strategic Counsel, which has been engaged by Health Canada to undertake this survey, will aggregate your child’s responses with those of others to the survey. The final report to Health Canada will be based on this aggregate data set.
• How will the data collected be used? The data collected will support the ongoing review and management of government policies and regulations. The final report will be made available to the public through Library and Archives Canada http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/. You may download a copy at no cost.

Once parents/guardians entered the survey (via link in the email invitation they received) they were taken through a series of screener questions (Q.A-Q.D), whereby they were asked to provide direct consent for their 15 year old before the child could complete the survey.

F. Indices and New Variables

As part of the analytical approach for this study, The Strategic Counsel produced a set of indices and new variables to that are used as analytical tools throughout the report.

Q.6 – Frequency of Vaping

• Frequent Vaper– checks 1-2, 3-4, 5-6 days/week
• Regular Vaper – checks 1, 2-3 days/month
• Occasional vaper – checks less than 1 day/month
• Infrequent vaper – has not vaped in past 12 months

NEW VAR 1: Reason for Cannabis Use - Q.8 and Q.9

• Non-Medical: ‘No’ at Q.8 OR ‘Yes’ at Q.8 and ‘usually vape cannabis for non-medical purposes’ at Q.9
• Medical: ‘Yes’ at Q.8 and ‘usually vape cannabis for medical purposes’ at Q.9
• Both: ‘Yes’ at Q.8 and ‘vape cannabis for both purposes equally’ at Q.9

NEW VAR 2: Sourcing of Flavoured Cannabis Vape Products – Q.21 and Q.22

• Legal
• Illegal
• Mix
• Don’t know

G. Study Limitations

Readers should keep in mind that this study was not intended to obtain an incidence of cannabis vaping among Canadians aged 15 to 24. Rather, it aimed to target those who have vaped cannabis (e.g., used cannabis vape pens, pods or vape cartridges) as well as the subset who have vaped flavoured cannabis products. As such, a series of screening questions were included at the front-end of the survey to identify cannabis vapers. Once their status was confirmed, these respondents were then asked to respond to a series of questions on their usage, attitudes and behaviours. Although participants who vape cannabis daily or weekly were not explicitly sought out for participation in this study, it was the case that a large segment among the final sample could be classified as ‘frequent’ cannabis vapers (61%) and about half (51%) are also regular vapers of flavoured cannabis products (e.g., use these products ‘always/very often’ when vaping cannabis). This robust sample of frequent users is helpful for analytical purposes, specifically in terms of examining the data for any additional insights related to ‘higher risk’ behaviours.

Best practices in survey design, specifically surveys aimed at this particular age cohort, were employed in crafting the questionnaire, including: simplifying concepts and the language level, using terminology which would be familiar to respondents, providing examples as relevant to enhance consistency in interpretation, and minimizing the overall length of the survey. Both formal (quantitative) and informal (qualitative) pre-tests of the survey were undertaken with the target audience prior to full fielding to assess clarity, comprehension, ease of completion and survey length. Adjustments were made based on the findings from pre-tests.

Survey research is a cost-effective and reliable means of gauging attitudes and behaviours at a specific point in time among the general public and specific target audiences. However, there are certain limitations in this approach which could be a factor of the methodology and questionnaire design, or related to the target audience itself. While a number of steps have been taken to mitigate any deficiencies in the approach taken here, it is nevertheless important that the limitations of the current study be fully explained. Some limitations of the data exist:

1. Online Methodology

Given the sensitive nature of the topic, it was determined that an online rather than telephone methodology would be most appropriate, to avoid any social desirability response bias which tends to occur more often in interviewer-led telephone surveys. Moreover, given the complexity of some of the questions, and the need to provide further clarifying or explanatory information, it was felt that an online methodology would significantly reduce the potential for overall response bias. This decision was made based on existing evidence which shows that web-based or online surveys tend to provide more truthful results compared to telephone, particularly for questions related to behaviours which, although in this case are legal for those above a certain age, may not be viewed as entirely socially acceptable. Nevertheless, it would be challenging to completely eliminate bias altogether. And, it is possible that some respondents may have over- or under-stated their usage of cannabis vape products and other associated products.

Online surveys are by nature opt-in methodologies, meaning that the sampling method is non-probabilistic and has not been designed to be random nor representative of the target audience. Not all members of the target audience had the same chance of participating in this study. The sample draws only from those who are registered as panelists and received an invitation to the survey. As such, it cannot be said that it reflects the actual distribution of Canadians aged 15 to 24 who vape cannabis products, by usage or other demographic characteristics.

2. Composition of the Final Sample

The study aimed to achieve a final sample of n=1500 cannabis vapers, split equally across the two age cohorts (15-17 and 18-24). The low incidence of the target population precluded setting any additional hard quotas by gender, province or region.

As such, the composition of the final sample overall and within the two age cohorts, may not be reflective of the actual distribution of cannabis vapers by gender or age across Canada. In the final sample, the younger cohort skews male (58% male; 43% female) while the older cohort skews female (42% male; 57% female). The data also shows that a higher proportion of the younger cohort (15-17) and males are ‘frequent’ vapers, reflecting at least to some degree the collinearity between gender and age in the final sample. Weighting the final dataset (n=1501) by either or both of age and gender may address issues of collinearity, but accurate information regarding the incidence of cannabis vaping within these cohorts, by gender, is lacking.

Similarly, it cannot be determined from this dataset as to whether the final sample is reflective of the distribution of cannabis vapers, within this target audience, by region. Those residing in Ontario represent a plurality of the sample, followed by Quebec, British Columbia, and Alberta. Relatively few among the final sample reside in the Atlantic region, Manitoba or Saskatchewan. Again, without further data specific to the incidence of cannabis vaping among those aged 15 to 24, by province, it is difficult to know how closely the final sample reflects the actual distribution for this target audience.

The above-noted limitations are more pertinent to a study which had as its main objective to ascertain incidence levels of specific behaviours or use, which is not the case here. The robust samples achieved for both age cohorts, across genders and by region do permit sub-level analysis which yields valid and useful insights on key demographic and regional variations, although some collinearity between age and gender is evident.

3. The Target Audience

Finally, all data were self-reported and therefore subject to related biases. Therefore, there may be some limitations of the data associated with the age of the target audience, in particular those aged 15 to 17 who are unable to purchase legal cannabis in Canada (note that in most provinces the legal age to purchase is 19, although it is 18 in Alberta and 21 in Quebec). It is possible that usage and frequency measures are conservative among those who are under the legal age. Younger respondents may also have been less willing to admit illegal activity and/or unaware that what they are doing (e.g., ordering from an online store) is illegal.

While all attempts were made to employ plain language and to provide clarifying examples, it is possible that some terms were unfamiliar to respondents. This would typically result in a high level of those responding ‘don’t know’ at each question, which was generally not the case.

XII. Appendix: Respondent Profile

Respondent Profile

The information below offers a snapshot of the youth and young adults who participated in the survey in terms of standard demographics including the participant’s sex at birth, gender, sexual orientation, region, language, ethnicity, education, household income, living situation and community makeup.

A. Sex and Gender

The final sample comprised a relatively equal split of those whose sex at birth was male (48%) or female (52%).

Q1. Please indicate your sex assigned at birth. Base: Total sample

The gender that participants identified with tracked closely with their sex at birth. 48% of respondents identified as male gender (48%) and another 51% as female gender. About 1% of the sample identified with another gender.

Q2. What is your gender identity? Base: Total sample

The 15-17 age group skewed slightly male (55% male; 44% female; 1% other gender), while the reverse was the case for the 18-24 age group (40% male; 58% female; 2% other gender).

B. Sexual Orientation

The vast majority (80%) of respondents identified as heterosexual. Another 17% of respondents identified as either bisexual (13%), homosexual (3%) or pansexual (1%).

Q36. What is your sexual orientation? Base: Total sample

C. Age of Participant

By design, the overall sample was split evenly between two age groups – 15-17 years old and 18-24 years old. Throughout the report, the younger cohort is referred to as ‘youth’ and the older cohort as ‘young adults’.

Q3b. Age group. Base: Total sample

D. Region

Regions were generally reflective of the national distribution, with Ontario (37%) and Quebec (19%) residents comprising over half of all respondents and the next largest proportion of respondents residing in Western Canada – either in British Columbia and the territories (14%), Alberta (11%) or the Prairies (11%).

It should be noted that the results reflect the make-up of the panel and targeting of panelist by age, and may not necessarily accurately reflect the distribution of cannabis vapers by province.

Q4. In which province or territory do you currently reside? Base: Total sample

It is important to note that, across the country, provinces and territories have different restrictions on the sale of cannabis vaping products. Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Quebec all have some kind of restrictions, while the remaining provinces do not. Throughout the report, we have noted where there are significant differences in respondents answers based on whether they reside in a province/territory with or without restrictions. This will allow us to better understand how these restrictions have an impact on key questions such as the frequency of use of cannabis overall, of flavoured cannabis and how these products are sourced.

Q4. In which province or territory do you currently reside? Base: Total sample

E. Language

The language in which the survey was completed was monitored throughout field to ensure the final sample was reflective of Anglophones and Francophones across the country (85% and 15% respectively, Statistics Canada 2016 Census). Overall, a final sample of 84% Anglophones and 16% Francophones was achieved.

Q43. Language in which survey was completed. Base: Total sample

F. Ethnicity

The plurality of respondents identified as European (45%), of either Western (34%) or Eastern (11%) European ancestry. Another 25% identified as ‘Canadian Indigenous’ – given that Indigenous peoples are approximately 4.9% of the Canadian population (Statistics Canada 2016 Census), this suggests that some young people believed this response category to include those who identify as ‘Canadian’ and/or ‘Indigenous’. As such, caution should be taken when interpreting this data to mean only ‘Indigenous’. Other ethnicities that made up the sample, cited with less frequency, included East Asian (7%), African (6%), Canadian (upcoded) (6%) and Southeast Asian (5%).

Q37. Which of the following ethnicity(ies) do you identify as …? Base: Total sample

G. Education

Given the age range of the respondents, it was not surprising that the highest educational attainment most respondents had achieved to date was either ‘some high school’ (30%) or a ‘high school diploma or equivalent’ (29%).

Q38. What is the highest level of formal education that you have completed? Base: Total sample

H. Household Income

There was a good cross section of household incomes included in the final sample.

Note that during early pre-tests of the questionnaire, young people had difficulty stating their household income with accuracy, as they were either unaware of their parents’ income or it was not discussed within their household. Given this, results by household income throughout the survey should be interpreted with caution.

Q39. Which of the following categories best describes your total household income in 2019? That is, the total income of all persons in your household combined, before taxes? Base: Total sample

I. Living Situation

Given the target demographic for this study, it was not surprising that the majority of the respondents (65%) lived at home with parents and/or guardians. Another 17% lived with a significant other and one-in ten (10%) lived with roommates. Only 5% reported living on their own.

Q42. Which of the following categories best describes your current living situation? Base: Total sample

J. Community Makeup

Just over half of respondents (54%) reported living in an urban centre, while another three-in ten (31%) lived in a more suburban neighborhood. Fewer lived in either rural (11%) or remote (2%) communities.

Q41. How would you best describe the area in which you reside? Base: Total sample

Overall, the final sample was reflective of a good range of different community sizes.

Q40. What is the size of the community in which you currently live? Base: Total sample

X. Appendix: Research Instruments

A. English Questionnaire

Understanding Youth and Young Adults’ Interest in, and Usage of, Flavoured Cannabis Vaping Products

FINAL Survey

PARENT IDENTIFIER AND CONSENT

A. Are you the parent or legal guardian of a child/children in your household between 15 and 17 years of age?

B. [ASK ONLY IF ‘YES’ AT Q.A] What are the exact age(s) of the child(ren) in your household in between 15 and 17 years old? [PN: DROPDOWN 15-17. ALLOW FOR BLANKS FOR 2-5.]

[PN: IF ‘15’ TO ANY CONTINUE, OTHERWISE SKIP TO Q.D]

1. ____

2. ____

3. ____

4. ____

5. ____

□ Prefer not to answer [PN: TERMINATE]

C. [ASK ONLY IF ‘15’ AT Q.B] Based on the information provided, do you consent to having your child aged 15 years old participate in this survey? If you have more than one child aged 15, please just choose one to participate.

D. Please bring your child aged 15-17 to the computer or mobile device and allow them to respond to the following questions themselves. Please click ‘Next’ once they are ready. If there is a time later today that would work better for your teenager, you can reopen this link when they are free and you will be brought back to the same place.

INTRODUCTION
Thank you for agreeing to take this survey. It is being conducted by The Strategic Counsel on behalf of Health Canada to gauge your views on various topics, including smoking, e-cigarettes, vaping, and cannabis. It should take you no more than 12-15 minutes to complete. Your help in responding to these questions is very important. All of your answers will be kept completely confidential and anonymous, and your participation is voluntary.

Click here [POP-UP IN NEW BROWSER WINDOW*] to verify its authenticity.

This research is sponsored by Health Canada. Note that your participation will remain completely confidential and it will not affect your dealings with the Government of Canada, including Health Canada, in any way.

You may contact Ashley Mac Donell, Associate, The Strategic Counsel at 416-975-4465 ext. 288 to verify the legitimacy of this survey.

Click here [POP-UP IN NEW BROWSER WINDOW*] for more information about how any personal information collected in this survey is handled.

The personal information you provide to Health Canada is governed in accordance with the Privacy Act and is being collected under the authority of Section 4 of the Department of Health Act in accordance with the Treasury Board Directive on Privacy Practices. We only collect the information we need to conduct the research project.

Purpose of collection : We require your personal information such as demographic information to better understand the topic of the research. However, your responses are always combined with the responses of others for analysis and reporting; you will never be identified.

For more information : This personal information collection is described in the standard personal information bank Public Communications – PSU 914, in Info Source, available online at www.infosource.gc.ca .

Your rights under the Privacy Act: In addition to protecting your personal information, the Privacy Act gives you the right to request access to and correction of your personal information. For more information about these rights, or about our privacy practices, please contact Health Canada's Privacy Coordinator at 613-948-1219 or hc.privacy-vie.privee.sc@canada.ca . You also have the right to file a complaint with the Privacy Commissioner of Canada if you think your personal information has been handled improperly.

Click here [POP-UP IN NEW BROWSER WINDOW*] for more information about what happens after the survey is completed.

The final report, written by The Strategic Counsel, will be available to the public from Library and Archives Canada http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/ .

SCREENING QUESTIONS

1. Please indicate your sex assigned at birth.

2. What is your gender identity? This refers to your current gender, which may be different from sex assigned at birth or from what is indicated on legal documents. [PN: SOFT QUOTA – AIM FOR 50/50 GENDER SPLIT]

3. In what year were you born?

[PN: DROPDOWN WITH YEARS 1995-2005, TERMINATE 1994 OR BEFORE AND 2006 OR LATER]

□ Prefer not to answer [PN: TERMINATE]

In what month were you born?

[PN: DROPDOWN WITH MONTHS JAN-DEC]

1995 ONLY ACCEPT THOSE BORN OCT-DEC (INCLUSIVE) = YEARS OLD
2002 IF JAN-SEPT =18 YEARS OLD, IF OCT–DEC =17 YEARS OLD

2005 ONLY ACCEPT THOSE BORN JAN-SEPT (INCLUSIVE) =15 YEARS OLD

□ Prefer not to answer [PN: TERMINATE]

3a. [PN: RECLASSIFY AND ENSURE SOFT QUOTAS ARE MAINTAINED]

15-17 [PN SOFT QUOTA N=750]

18-24 [PN SOFT QUOTA N=750]

4. In which province or territory do you currently reside? [PN: SOFT QUOTA]

[PN: SHOW FOLLOWING TEXT ON AN INDIVIDUAL PAGE]

In this survey, when we use the term cannabis, this includes marijuana (e.g., weed, pot), hashish, hash oil or any other products made from the cannabis plant, including CBD and THC products, whether they were obtained from legal or illegal sources. It does not include synthetic cannabis such as “K2”, “Spice” or “fake weed”.

For this survey, we are most interested in learning about your experience vaping cannabis. This includes using vaping cartridges, pods or pens with liquid cannabis extract in them. This does not mean vaping dried cannabis flower (e.g. bud, whole flower or shake), vaping solid cannabis extracts (e.g. hash, shatter, or kief) or vaping non-cannabis products such as nicotine.

5. Have you ever vaped any of the following products? Select all that apply.

[PN: TERMINATE IF ‘LIQUID CANNABIS OIL/EXTRACT’ IS NOT SELECTED]

USAGE OF CANNABIS VAPING PRODUCTS

6. In the past 12 months, how often did you vape cannabis? [PN: MONITOR REGULAR VAPERS VS. EVER VAPERS. REGULAR VAPERS ARE DEFINED AS THOSE WHO VAPE 1 DAY PER MONTH OR MORE.]

7. [PN: IF ‘LESS THAN 1 DAY PER MONTH’ OR ‘NOT VAPED CANNABIS IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS’ AT Q.6, ASK] Have you ever vaped cannabis more often than that in the past?

8. In the past 12 months, have you used cannabis for medical purposes? By medical purposes, we mean used to treat a disease/disorder or to improve symptoms associated with a disease/disorder.

9. [PN: IF ‘YES’ AT Q.8, ASK] Thinking about how you currently vape cannabis, are you typically using it for medical purposes (using it to treat a disease/disorder or to improve symptoms associated with a disease/disorder) or for non-medical purposes? By non-medical purposes we mean using it recreationally (e.g., for enjoyment, pleasure, amusement), socially, or for spiritual, lifestyle and other similar non-medical uses.

INTEREST IN CANNABIS VAPING PRODUCTS AND OTHER CANNABIS PRODUCTS

10. At what age did you first begin vaping cannabis?

[PN: INSERT AGE] ________

11. Which of the following best reflects your situation when you first started vaping cannabis?

12. Thinking back to when you first started vaping cannabis, how important were each of the following in you initially becoming interested in these products? [PN: CAROUSEL]

13. Was there anything else that prompted your initial interest in these products? [PN: OPEN-END]

□ No, nothing else

14. What are the main reasons why you choose to vape cannabis, versus using it in other ways (e.g., smoke a joint, consume edibles)? Select all that apply.

[PN: RANDOMIZE]

15. In what situations do you usually vape cannabis? Select all that apply.

[PN: RANDOMIZE]

16. Which of the following factors are most important to you when selecting which vape product(s) to purchase? Select up to three.

[PN: RANDOMIZE]

17. Please indicate whether you agree or disagree with each of the following statements. [PN: CAROUSEL]

USAGE OF FLAVOURED CANNABIS VAPE PRODUCTS

The next few questions specifically ask about flavoured cannabis vape products. When we use the term flavoured cannabis vape products, we are referring to cannabis vape products with a flavour (e.g. melon, citrus, grape) that is different from the flavour commonly associated with cannabis.

18. When vaping cannabis, how often do you use flavoured cannabis products?

19. [IF RARELY/NEVER AT Q.18, ASK] Why did you say you [PN: INSERT ‘rarely’ or ‘never’ FROM Q.18] use flavoured cannabis vape products? Select all that apply.

[PN: RANDOMIZE]

20. In general, how easy or difficult is it for you to obtain flavoured cannabis vape products?

21. Where do you get the flavoured cannabis vape products that you use/have used? Select all sources that apply.

[PN: RANDOMIZE]

22. [PN: IF ANSWERED ‘FAMILY MEMBER,’ ‘FRIEND,’ ‘IT WAS SHARED’, ‘AQUAINTANCE’ OR ‘I ASK SOMEONE ELSE’ AT Q.21, ASK] Thinking about when you get flavoured cannabis vape products from [PN: INSERT ‘a family member’, ‘a friend’, ‘a group of friends where it is shared’ ‘an acquaintance’ or ‘someone else’ FROM Q.21] , as far as you know, does the person(s) get them from… Select all sources that apply.

[PN: REPEAT FOR EACH ANSWER SELECTED AT Q.21]

IMPACT OF FLAVOUR

23. Which of the following flavours, if any, have you tried when it comes to vaping cannabis? Select all that apply.

[PN: RANDOMIZE]

24. [PN: IF ANSWERED ANY, INCLUDING ‘NEVER’ AT Q.18, ASK] Regardless of whether you have vaped flavoured products or not, which of the following flavours, if any, are most appealing to you when it comes to vaping cannabis? Select all that apply.

[PN: RANDOMIZE]

25. Overall, how important is the ability to get flavoured products in your choice to continue to vape cannabis?

26. If flavoured cannabis vape products were no longer available to purchase from a legal retailer in Canada, what impact would that have on you?

27. [PN: IF ANSWERED ‘CONTINUE TO VAPE’ AT Q.26, ASK] Which of the following best describes how you would continue to vape cannabis, if restrictions were to be put on flavoured cannabis vape products? Select all that apply.

[PN: RANDOMIZE]

28. Regardless of whether you have vaped flavoured cannabis products or not, have any of the following aspects ever made you think that the cannabis vaping product you were considering purchasing or using was flavoured?

29. Is there anything else that you’ve seen or heard that made you think a cannabis vaping product was flavoured? [PN: OPEN-END]

□ No, nothing else

ASSOCIATED PRODUCT USE

30. [PN: IF ‘E-LIQUID WITH NICTONE’ SELECTED AT Q.5 AND ‘ALWAYS/VERY OFTEN/SOMETIMES’ AT Q.18, ASK] Thinking now about the flavours used in cannabis vapes in comparison to the flavours used in nicotine vapes, please indicate whether you agree or disagree with the following statement.

"I prefer the overall flavour and taste of flavoured cannabis vape products versus flavoured nicotine vape products."

31. [PN: IF ‘E-LIQUID WITH NICTONE’ SELECTED AT Q.5 AND ‘ALWAYS/VERY OFTEN/SOMETIMES’ AT Q.18, ASK] Did you …

32. Apart from vaping cannabis, do you consume cannabis in other ways?

33. [PN: IF ‘YES’ AT Q.32, ASK] In the past 12 months, what other cannabis products have you used? Select all that apply.

[PN: RANDOMIZE]

34. [IF ‘HASHISH/KIEF’ OR ‘CANNABIS CONCENTRATE/EXTRACTS’ AT Q.33, ASK] Among the following cannabis products that you said you used in the past 12 months, have you ever used a flavoured variety of any of those products?

As a reminder, flavoured cannabis products are products with a flavour (e.g. melon, citrus, grape) that is different from the flavour commonly associated with cannabis.

[PN: INSERT ONLY THOSE THAT THE RESPONDENT SELECTED AT Q.33]

35. [IF ‘YES’ AT Q.34] How often do you use a flavoured version versus an unflavoured version of the following product? [PN: CAROUSEL]

[SHOW ONLY EACH RESPONSE CATEGORY RESPONDENT ANSWERED ‘YES’ IN Q.34]

Hash/hashish
Kief
Shatter
Wax
Budder
Butane honey oil (BHO)
Resin
Rosin
[PN: IF ‘OTHER SPECIFY’ AT Q.34, SHOW OPEN ENDED RESPONSE]

ADDITIONAL DEMOGRAPHICS

This final set of questions will be used for statistical purposes only.

36. What is your sexual orientation?

37. Which of the following ethnicity(ies) do you identify as …? Select all that apply.

38. What is the highest level of formal education that you have completed?

39. Which of the following categories best describes your total household income in 2019? That is, the total income of all persons in your household combined, before taxes?

40. What is the size of the community in which you currently live?

41. How would you best describe the area in which you reside? Is it…

42. Which of the following categories best describes your current living situation? Are you…

43. Language in which survey was completed [PN: CODE]

B. French Questionnaire

Les produits de vapotage de cannabis aromatisés :

intérêt et consommation chez les jeunes et les jeunes adultes

Sondage FINAL

IDENTIFICATION ET CONSENTEMENT DU PARENT

A. Êtes-vous le parent ou le tuteur légal d’un ou de plusieurs enfants âgés de 15 à 17 ans vivant dans votre ménage?

B. [DEMANDER UNIQUEMENT SI « OUI » À LA Q.A] Quel est l’âge exact de l’enfant ou des enfants âgés de 15 à 17 ans vivant dans votre ménage? [NP : LISTE DÉROULANTE 15-17. PERMETTRE LES BLANCS POUR 2-5.]

[NP : SI UN JEUNE DE « 15 » ANS, CONTINUER; SINON, PASSER À LA Q.D]

1. ____

2. ____

3. ____

4. ____

5. ____

□ Je préfère ne pas répondre [NP : CONCLURE]

C. [DEMANDER UNIQUEMENT SI UN JEUNE DE « 15 » ANS À LA Q.B] Compte tenu des renseignements fournis, consentez-vous à ce que votre enfant de 15 ans participe à ce sondage? Si vous avez plus d’un enfant de 15 ans, veuillez choisir un seul d’entre eux pour la participation au sondage.

D. Veuillez accompagner votre enfant âgé(e) de 15 à 17 ans devant l’ordinateur ou un appareil mobile et lui permettre de répondre aux questions suivantes par lui-même ou par elle-même. Veuillez cliquer sur « Suivant » une fois que votre enfant est prêt(e). Si un autre moment lui convient mieux plus tard dans la journée, vous pouvez rouvrir le lien à ce moment-là et revenir où vous étiez.

INTRODUCTION
Merci d’avoir accepté de faire ce sondage. Le cabinet The Strategic Counsel s’occupe de le réaliser pour Santé Canada afin de connaître vos opinions sur différents sujets comme le tabagisme, les cigarettes électroniques, le vapotage et le cannabis. Cela devrait vous prendre 12 à 15 minutes au maximum pour remplir le questionnaire. Votre aide pour répondre à ces questions est très importante. Toutes vos réponses seront strictement confidentielles et anonymes, et votre participation est volontaire.

Cliquez ici [AFFICHER DANS UNE NOUVELLE FENÊTRE DU NAVIGATEUR*] si vous souhaitez vérifier l’authenticité de ce sondage.

Santé Canada est le commanditaire de la présente étude. Soulignons que votre participation est strictement confidentielle et qu’elle n’aura aucune incidence sur vos rapports avec le gouvernement du Canada, y compris avec Santé Canada.

Vous pouvez vérifier la légitimité de ce sondage auprès d’Ashley Mac Donell, associée, The Strategic Counsel, au 416-975-4465, poste 288.

Cliquez ici [AFFICHER DANS UNE NOUVELLE FENÊTRE DU NAVIGATEUR*] pour en savoir plus sur le traitement de vos renseignements personnels recueillis durant ce sondage.

Les renseignements personnels que vous donnez à Santé Canada sont régis par la Loi sur la protection des renseignements personnels et sont recueillis en vertu de l’article 4 de laLoi sur le ministère de la Santé, conformément à la directive du Conseil du Trésor sur les pratiques relatives à la protection de la vie privée. La collecte porte uniquement sur les renseignements nécessaires à la réalisation de l’étude.

Objet de la collecte : Nous avons besoin de vos renseignements personnels, par exemple de données démographiques, pour mieux comprendre le sujet de recherche. Cependant, vos réponses seront toujours regroupées avec celles des autres répondants au moment de l’analyse et des rapports; vous ne serez jamais identifié(e).

Pour en savoir plus : Vous trouverez une description de la collecte de ces renseignements personnels dans le fichier de renseignements personnels ordinaires POU 914 — Communications publiques, dans Info Source, disponible en ligne au www.infosource.gc.ca.

Vos droits en vertu de la Loi sur la protection des renseignements personnels : En plus de protéger vos renseignements personnels, la Loi sur la protection des renseignements personnels vous donne le droit de demander l’accès à ces renseignements ainsi que leur correction. Pour plus d’information sur ces droits ou sur nos pratiques en matière de protection de la vie privée, veuillez appeler le coordonnateur de la protection des renseignements personnels de Santé Canada au 613-948-1219 ou lui écrire à hc.privacy-vie.privee.sc@canada.ca. Vous avez également le droit de déposer une plainte auprès du Commissariat à la protection de la vie privée du Canada si vous estimez que vos renseignements personnels ont été traités d’une manière inappropriée.

Cliquez ici [AFFICHER DANS UNE NOUVELLE FENÊTRE DU NAVIGATEUR*] pour savoir ce qui se passera à la suite du sondage.

Le rapport final, préparé par le cabinet The Strategic Counsel, sera accessible au public sur le site Web de

QUESTIONS DE SÉLECTION

1. Veuillez indiquer votre sexe assigné à la naissance.

2. Quelle est votre identité de genre? Il s’agit de votre genre actuel, qui peut différer du sexe que l’on vous assigné à la naissance ou de ce qui est indiqué sur vos documents juridiques. [NP : QUOTA SOUPLE – VISER LA PARITÉ DE GENRE]

3. Quelle est votre année de naissance?

[NP : LISTE DÉROULANTE DES ANNÉES

1995-2005, CONCLURE SI 1994 OU AVANT ET SI 2006 OU APRÈS]

□ Je préfère ne pas répondre [NP : CONCLURE]

Quel est votre mois de naissance?

[NP : LISTE DÉROULANTE DES MOIS, JANVIER À DÉCEMBRE]

1995 : ACCEPTER UNIQUEMENT LES RÉPONDANTS NÉS ENTRE OCT. ET DÉC. (INCLUSIVEMENT) = 24 ANS
2002 : SI JANV.-SEPT. = 18 ANS, SI OCT.-DÉC. = 17 ANS

2005 : ACCEPTER UNIQUEMENT LES RÉPONDANTS NÉS ENTRE JANV. ET SEPT. (INCLUSIVEMENT) = 15 ANS

□ Je préfère ne pas répondre [NP : CONCLURE]

3a. [NP : RECLASSIFIER EN VEILLANT À MAINTENIR DES QUOTAS SOUPLES]

15-17 ans [NP : QUOTA SOUPLE N=750]

18-24 ans [NP : QUOTA SOUPLE N=750]

4. Dans quelle province ou quel territoire habitez-vous? [NP : QUOTA SOUPLE]

[NP : MONTRER LE TEXTE QUI SUIT SUR UNE PAGE DISTINCTE]

Dans ce sondage, lorsque nous utilisons le terme cannabis, cela comprend la marijuana (p. ex., l’herbe, le pot), le haschich, l’huile de cannabis ou tout autre produit dérivé de la plante de cannabis, y compris les produits CBD et THC, qu’ils proviennent de sources légales ou illégales. Cela ne comprend pas les cannabis de synthèse comme le « K2 », « Spice » ou « fake weed ».

À travers nos questions, nous nous intéressons surtout à votre expérience du vapotage de cannabis. Le vapotage de cannabis comprend l’utilisation de cartouches, de capsules ou de stylos de vapotage contenant un extrait liquide de cannabis. Il ne comprend pas le vapotage de fleurs de cannabis séchées (p. ex. bourgeons, fleurs entières ou shake), le vapotage d’extraits solides de cannabis (p. ex., hasch, shatter ou kief) ou le vapotage de produits non dérivés du cannabis, comme la nicotine.

5. Avez-vous déjà vapoté certains des produits suivants? Cochez toutes les réponses qui s’appliquent.

[NP : CONCLURE SI « HUILE OU EXTRAIT LIQUIDE DE CANNABIS » N’EST PAS CHOISI]

CONSOMMATION DE PRODUITS DE VAPOTAGE DE CANNABIS

6. Dans les 12 derniers mois, à quelle fréquence avez-vous vapoté du cannabis? [NP : SUIVRE LES VAPOTEURS RÉGULIERS VS TOUS CEUX QUI ONT DÉJÀ VAPOTÉ AU MOINS UNE FOIS. SONT DÉFINIS COMME RÉGULIERS CEUX QUI VAPOTENT UN JOUR PAR MOIS OU PLUS.]

7. [NP : SI « MOINS D’UN JOUR PAR MOIS » OU « JE N’AI PAS VAPOTÉ DE CANNABIS DANS LES 12 DERNIERS MOIS » À LA Q.6, DEMANDER] Avez-vous vapoté du cannabis plus souvent que cela dans le passé?

8. Dans les 12 derniers mois, avez-vous consommé du cannabis à des fins médicales? Par « fins médicales », nous voulons dire pour traiter une maladie ou un trouble, ou pour améliorer les symptômes associés à une maladie ou un trouble.

9. [NP : SI « OUI » À LA Q.8, DEMANDER] En ce qui concerne vos habitudes de vapotage actuelles, est-ce que vous vapotez du cannabis plutôt à des fins médicales (pour traiter une maladie ou un trouble, ou pour améliorer les symptômes associés à une maladie ou un trouble), ou plutôt à des fins non médicales? Par « fins non médicales », nous voulons dire pour un usage récréatif (p. ex., plaisir, amusement, divertissement), social ou spirituel, en lien avec votre mode de vie ou pour d’autres raisons non médicales.

INTÉRÊT À L’ÉGARD DES PRODUITS DE VAPOTAGE DE CANNABIS ET D’AUTRES PRODUITS DE CANNABIS

10. À quel âge avez-vous commencé à vapoter du cannabis?

[NP : INSÉRER L’ÂGE] ________

11. Lequel des énoncés suivants reflète le mieux votre situation lorsque vous avez commencé à vapoter du cannabis?

12. Si vous repensez au moment où vous avez commencé à vapoter du cannabis, à quel point chacun des éléments suivants a-t-il été un facteur important dans votre intérêt initial pour ces produits? [PN: CARROUSEL]

13. Y a-t-il autre chose qui a contribué à votre intérêt initial pour ces produits? [NP : RÉPONSE LIBRE]

□ Non, rien d’autre

14. Quelles sont les principales raisons qui vous incitent à vapoter du cannabis plutôt que le consommer autrement (p. ex., fumer un joint, consommer des produits comestibles)? Cochez toutes les réponses qui s’appliquent.

[NP : RANDOMISER]

16. Lesquels des facteurs suivants trouvez-vous les plus importants au moment de choisir les produits de vapotage que vous allez acheter? Cochez jusqu’à trois réponses.

[NP : RANDOMISER]

17. Veuillez indiquer si vous êtes d’accord ou non avec chacun des énoncés suivants. [NP : CARROUSEL]

CONSOMMATION DE PRODUITS DE VAPOTAGE DE CANNABIS AROMATISÉS

Les prochaines questions portent sur les produits de vapotage de cannabis aromatisés. Lorsque nous utilisons le terme produits de vapotage de cannabis aromatisés, nous faisons référence à des produits de vapotage de cannabis dont l’arôme (p. ex., melon, agrumes, raisin) est différent de l’arôme couramment associé au cannabis.

18. Lorsque vous vapotez du cannabis, à quelle fréquence consommez-vous des produits de cannabis aromatisés?

19. [SI RAREMENT/JAMAIS À LA Q.18, DEMANDER] Pourquoi consommez-vous [NP : INSÉRER « rarement » OU « jamais » À PARTIR DE LA Q.18] des produits de vapotage de cannabis aromatisés? Cochez toutes les réponses qui s’appliquent.

[NP : RANDOMISER]