Support for allowing recreational cannabis ‘low but increasing’, study finds

Support for allowing recreational cannabis use in Ireland is low but increasing, according to the first study to examine trends towards the drug over time.

Support is highest among men, people living in Dublin and those who are either recent or past users of cannabis, it finds.

Other significant predictors of support for agreeing with recreational cannabis use are knowing cannabis users, perceiving its use as not being a great risk and not disapproving of its use.

The study, published in the European Journal of Public Health, finds a “surprising” lack of support for recreational cannabis among younger people (aged 15 to 24 years) even though they are more likely to use the drug than older adults.

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“Lower support among younger age groups may be the result of younger users being more aware of the potential harmful effects of cannabis given the elevated rates of use amongst their peers and therefore less likely to agree with its legalisation,” the study suggests.

[ Germany presents watered-down cannabis law reform ]

Over recent years, recreational cannabis has been legalised in at least 19 US states and Canada, with Germany and Luxembourg expected to follow suit soon. In Ireland, Government policy on the issue is expected to be guided by a Citizens’ Assembly on drugs use, which holds its first meeting this weekend.

The assembly is chaired by former HSE chief executive Paul Reid and its advisory group includes noted anti-drug advocates Philly McMahon, whose brother John died in 2021 after a battle with drug addiction, and psychiatrist Prof Mary Cannon.

Pro-cannabis groups have objected to the appointment of Prof Cannon to advise the assembly.

Support for permitting recreational cannabis use among 15- to 64-year-olds increased from 19.1 per cent in 2006/07 to 29.9 per cent in 2019/20, according to the research, based on an analysis of data from national drug prevalence studies.

Among all age groups, 26.2 per cent supported recreational cannabis in 2019/20. Some 18.2 per cent of people who had never used cannabis agreed with allowing recreational use, compared with 59.3 per cent for past users and 82.8 per cent for recent users

People who had completed primary education only were significantly less likely to agree with permitting recreational cannabis use.

The study says the reasons behind the increase in support for recreational cannabis are not clear, but it speculates “the recent, predominantly positive, public discourse in Ireland in relation to the potential medical utility of cannabis-based products may have led to Irish people having a more positive view of cannabis in general”.

Given the potential public health implications of cannabis legalisation, it is imperative that valid and reliable information on cannabis use and cannabis-related harm is collected to ensure the impact of any changes arising from legalisation can be accurately measured, the authors from the Health Research Board, Trinity College Dublin and University College Dublin advise.