In this article, we are going to discuss the 10 most cannabis-consuming countries in the world. If you want to check out our detailed analysis of the global cannabis industry, the budding cannabis-based pharmaceutical industry and the interest of big pharma, and the offshore business activities of some US-based cannabis companies, head to 25 Most Cannabis Consuming-Countries in the World.
10. France
Annual Prevalence of Cannabis Use: 11%
The average age of cannabis users in France is increasing, from just over 25 in 1992 to almost 33 in 2021. Habitual use by under-25s in France is down from 8.4% in 2017 to 6.3% in 2021. Cannabis use is more prevalent in the over-30s and over-40s.
The reduced cannabis use among young people is closely linked to the drop in cigarette smoking, which is ushering in a ‘behavioral change’ in younger generations. Perhaps cost is also a factor. The retail price of marijuana has increased by more than 25% in just ten years.
9. Czech Republic
Annual Prevalence of Cannabis Use: 11.1%
After a decade of progressive liberalization, the Czech Republic is preparing to introduce a fully legal and regulated cannabis market with the approval of the 2023-2025 Addiction Policy Action Plan in April last year.
Czechia is riding a European-wide wave that could possibly make it one of the first EU countries to introduce a legally regulated cannabis market.
8. Australia
Annual Prevalence of Cannabis Use: 11.6%
Australia’s legal marijuana (cannabis and hemp) industry is in its infancy and was valued at $51.8 million in 2021, with an expected CAGR of 30.1% from 2022 to 2030.
Australia ranks among the top 10 most stoned countries in 2024, with 36% of people over 14 admitting to have consumed it at least once in their lifetime.
7. Chile
Annual Prevalence of Cannabis Use: 12.05%
Marijuana cultivation appears to be on the rise in Chile, according to the 2021 Narcotrafficking Observatory Report published by the Office of the Attorney General. Authorities seized 285,000 plants in 2020, nearly 50,000 more than in 2019, according to the report.
6. Israel
Annual Prevalence of Cannabis Use: 14%
For years, smoking weed has been socially permissible in Israel despite being technically illegal. Patio tables in cities like Rishon Letsiyon are dotted with people openly rolling joints and lighting up without a second thought. Ironically, smoking cannabis is tolerated in more public places in Israel than in countries like Canada, where recreational marijuana is legal.
5. Uruguay
Annual Prevalence of Cannabis Use: 14.6%
Cannabis is legal in Uruguay and is one of the most widely used drugs in the nation. President José Mujica signed legislation to legalize recreational cannabis in December 2013, making Uruguay the first country in the modern era to legalize cannabis.
Pharmacies in Uruguay have sold 10,693,210 grams of marijuana between July 19, 2017, and July 19, 2023. There are three companies producing cannabis, and the sale of marijuana is authorized in 37 pharmacies distributed across ten departments throughout the country. Uruguay also started exporting weed in 2019.
4. New Zealand
Annual Prevalence of Cannabis Use: 15.3%
Official statistics from Auckland University’s Alcohol and Public Health Research Unit show half of New Zealanders aged 15-65 have tried cannabis at least once, and almost one-in-six define themselves as regular users. That’s about 1.5 million ordinary Kiwis who have ignored the law and tried cannabis, and around 400,000 who continue to use it.
Roughly 74 metric tons of cannabis is consumed annually in New Zealand’s illicit market, with a retail value of up to $1 billion.
3. Jamaica
Annual Prevalence of Cannabis Use: 18%
Ganja is deeply rooted in Jamaica’s history and culture, but it is not legal. The country legalized medical cannabis and decriminalized possession of under 2 ounces in 2015, after more than a century of prohibition that saw the plant weaponized to silence and disenfranchise dissenters. Illegal cannabis cultivation is rampant in Jamaica, with an estimated 15,000 ha of cannabis cultivated annually illegally, mostly for export.
2. Canada
Annual Prevalence of Cannabis Use: 20.7%
The Canadian cannabis market has continued to grow at a double-digit rate since legalization – rising from a market size of $1.2 billion in 2019 to $4.7 billion in 2022 – with more than 3,000 retail locations in the country. As the first G20 country to legalize cannabis for adult use and create a national marketplace, Canada stands to set a regulatory blueprint for the rest of the world.
Ontario residents purchased more than $1.3 billion worth of legal cannabis products in 2022, an increase of 38% from 2021. There are currently 1,700 legal cannabis stores that currently operate in the province, with 400 situated only in Toronto.
1. United States of America
Annual Prevalence of Cannabis Use: 22.8%
The U.S. legal cannabis industry took some hits in 2022, but according to top cannabis researcher Brightfield Group, annual revenue of the industry is estimated to reach $31.8 billion by the end of 2023, growing to $50.7 billion by 2028. The increasing legalization of cannabis and rising acceptance of its use for medical purposes are the key factors driving the growth of the market.
Although the United States retains its existing federal prohibition on cannabis, the recreational use of weed has been legalized in 24 states, and also in the District of Columbia, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Ohio became the 24th state to allow adult cannabis use for non-medical purposes when a majority of voters approved a corresponding ballot measure on November 7th 2023.
The U.S. is the Biggest Consumer of Cannabis in the World.
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