Ahead of community consultations, voluntary survey suggests Nunavummiut support legal weed

Respondents to a survey by Nunavut's governmentwere largely in favour of the federal government's plan to legalize cannabis, though opinions differ on how that should happen.

The 26-question survey was designed to give the government more information about howNunavummiutwere feeling about the issues the federal government has left up to the territory to decide, including, legal age, sales, public possession, home growing and public use. (The federal government will regulate growing and distribution and advertising.)

Participation in the survey was voluntary,so the results do not necessarily reflect broader public opinion in Nunavut.

Nunavut's Minister of Finance DavidAkeeagoksays the results will help guide the government's plan for legalization, but community consultations will begin in the new year.

• Community consultations on legal weed coming to Nunavut in January

Even split on who should sell it

Of the 1,418 respondents, 75 per cent supported legalization, a figure that stayed relatively stable regardless of the age, race and gender of those who answered the survey.

Respondentswere split nearly down the middle on whether they want the government or private businesses to manage the sale of cannabis, with 49 per cent choosing government regulated (3 per cent were undecided).

Most thought it should not be available in grocery stores, but in special stores (71 per cent). Sixty-eight per cent thought it should be available for purchase online.

The majority are also in favour of keeping the limits set by the federal government instead of having the territory set lower limits, so:

• 64 per cent want the possession limit set at 30 grams
• 66 per cent saidindividuals should be allowed to keep 4 plants at home

However, 59 per cent think the legal age to partake should be the same as the territory's age restriction on alcohol, so 19 instead of the federal limit of 18.

As for use in public places, half of all respondents didn't think there should be restrictions on non-smoked cannabis, but 73 per cent thought smoked cannabis should be restricted in some or all public places, with a slight majority favouring a ban on all public places, not just where tobacco smoking was prohibited.

Fighting illegal market

Priorities for the government should be fighting the illegal market and research on the effects of cannabis (tied at 28 per cent), the survey suggests.

Respondents want more information about the effects of cannabis, with 63 per cent preferring the information be distributed over social mediaand 43 per cent suggesting information come from healthcare professionals.

They're most interested in learning more about its impacts on health and wellness, children and youth and pregnant women.

Other survey response highlights:

• 71 per cent of respondents were from the Qikiqtaaluk region
• 44 duplicate surveys were submitted and discounted
• Respondents were 43 per cent Inuit, 57 per cent non-Inuit
• Respondents were 51 per cent male, 49 per cent female

Cannabis becomes legal across Canada on July 1.