Twice as many Canadians are trying marijuana for the first time since it was legalized
- Twice as many Canadians are trying pot compared to this time last year, according to a report from Canada's national statistics agency.
- Canada legalized recreational marijuana in October 2018.
- A large proportion of these first-time users are aged 45 or older.
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A report from Canada's national statistics agency published Thursday suggests that Canadians are embracing the country's recent legalization of marijuana.
Canada legalized the drug for recreational use in October 2018, becoming the first country in the G7 to do so.
Read more: Here are all the US states where pot is legal
In the first three months of 2019, 646,000 Canadians reported trying pot for the first time. This was almost double last year's figure of 327,000 over the same period.
The report found that a large number of these first-time users were middle-aged, with half being aged 45 or older. Overall however, general cannabis use remained most frequent amongst people aged 15 to 24 - with 30% reporting they'd used the drug.
Canada's legalization of weed was targeted at neutralizing the illegal sale of the drug. The report suggests that the new law is having some success in diverting weed users away from illegal sources - with an estimated 47% of cannabis users getting their weed from legal sources in the first three months of 2019, up 24% from the previous year.
Simultaneously 38% of Canadians reported obtaining their weed illegally, down from 51% the year before.