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VANCOUVER – Cindi Phelps never imagined running a pottery shop. In adolescence, she was smoking grbad, but in adulthood, she declared that she had become "grumpy" about cannabis, making endless lectures to her children and judging all the people who touched the thing.
It was only at the age of 50 that she realized that marijuana could relieve her pain caused by a chronic health problem. Now running the Tamarack Cannabis Shop in Kimberley, BC, Phelps can connect with customers who are afraid to try the pot for the first time in decades or more.
About 15 to 20 percent of her clients are in this category and most are baby boomers, she said.
"They had their children. They had their family. Now they are retired and they would like to try again, "she said. "It's legal, they do not think they'll be arrested for it."
When Canada legalized cannabis on October 17, 2018, it was unclear how this would affect the stigma surrounding cannabis or the habits of non-users of marijuana. Six months later, initial data and interviews with store operators suggest that a considerable number of Canadians are illuminating for the first time.
Almost 14% of cannabis users surveyed by Statistics Canada from mid-November to mid-December had just started using grbad in the previous three months. The time period in which they were interviewed includes the time elapsed before and after the legalization, but the percentage of new users has increased significantly from previous quarters, from 4.7 to 7.8%.
The agency found that new users covered all age groups. However, among people aged 24 to 35, consumption decreased slightly as legalization progressed, while it increased in all higher age groups. at 35 years old.
The legalization has attracted a whole new segment of people who prefer to use legal cannabis and are willing to pay more, said Jennifer Lee, lead partner in managing the cannabis sector for Deloitte.
"Government supervision brings a whole new cohort to the market," she said. "They could have tried it on the black market. They simply chose not to, because they wanted to know that it was a safe product. "
In general, she stated that her research showed that people over the age of 55 were the most attracted to this market because they had used marijuana many years ago and could afford to pay more for marijuana. Lawful grbad.
People without cannabis experience often ask for cannabidiol, also known as CBD, a non-psychoactive extract used to treat pain and anxiety, said Mike Babins, owner of Evergreen Cannabis in Vancouver.
"They come here saying," I have no desire to get screwed. I just want CBD, "said Babins. "And we say," Why? What is the problem with being high? Do you think it's like all those old propaganda movies and you're going to think you're a bird and you're going to jump out the window with all the pretty colors and your family is going to find you dead on the grbad? "
Sometimes people still want to stick to CBD, but for those who are willing to try cannabis containing THC, the ingredient that changes the mind, the staff guides them to products to lower dose and advises them to start slowly and benefit from their experience, he said.
Customers said they were expecting it to be legal and that they were tired of drinking too much alcohol at night, Babins said.
"They have a bottle of wine after dinner instead of a glbad of wine for dinner," he said. "Many simply say," I am too stressed and I handle it badly. "
Many novices or novices end up becoming repeat customers, said Babins and other store owners.
Statistics Canada data also indicates that former users are considering returning to the habit. The most recent survey found that 19% of Canadians think they will use cannabis in the next three months, compared to 15% of current consumers.
Former users were more likely to report that they would use than those who had never used them – 13% versus 2%.
Krystian Wetulani, founder of City Cannabis Co., said his two licensed Vancouver drugstores have seen a surge in customers aged 45 to 65 since they've started selling legal cannabis.
People in this age group seem to be more comfortable now, knowing that cannabis has been tested according to Health Canada standards, he said, and that he does not have to sign his name, as a membership card of a medical dispensary.
Toronto's first legal cannabis store, The Hunny Pot, has also seen a "huge influx" of new consumers, including locals and tourists, since it opened two weeks ago, said Cameron Communications Officer Brown.
As for those who have not used cannabis for decades, they are surprised by the current variety, he said.
"There is a lot of education," he said.
"We make sure we go through all the steps with them, talking about the different levels of THC, the different strains and how they affect different people, while trying to find what will work best for them."
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