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Independent cannabis education for Canada · not a retailer · 19+

Cannabis vs alcohol vs tobacco in Canada, by the numbers

Canada has three legal, regulated adult substances: alcohol, tobacco, and now cannabis. Here is how they stack up, how many people use each, what they're worth, and which way each is heading. One clear pattern stands out. Every figure is sourced from Statistics Canada and Health Canada. Free to cite, a link back to LeafNorth is appreciated.

Last reviewed: July 2026

77% Adults who drank alcohol in the past year still the most common by far
26% Used cannabis in the past year up from 22% in 2018
~11% Still smoke cigarettes a record low
Cannabis The only one of the three still growing alcohol and tobacco are declining

How many Canadians use each

Alcohol is still, by a wide margin, the most common. In recent surveys about 77% of adults had a drink in the past year, compared with 26% who used cannabis and roughly 11% who still smoke cigarettes.

Past-year or current use (share of adults)
Alcohol (past year)
77%
Cannabis (past year)
26%
Tobacco (current smokers)
~11%

Sources: alcohol, Statistics Canada (past-year drinking, 2023); cannabis, Health Canada Canadian Cannabis Survey 2024 (age 16+); tobacco, current smoking prevalence 2024. These come from different surveys with slightly different age groups and years, so read them as directional, not a perfectly like-for-like race.

What they're worth

On the money side, two of the three can be compared directly: Statistics Canada reports alcohol and cannabis sales in the same release. In 2024/25, Canadians spent about $25.8 billion on alcohol versus $5.5 billion on legal cannabis, so alcohol is still roughly 4.7 times the size of the legal cannabis market. But the two are moving in opposite directions: alcohol sales slipped 1.6%, while cannabis grew 6.1%.

Legal sales, 2024/25 ($ billions)
Alcohol
$25.8B-1.6%
Cannabis
$5.5B+6.1%

Source: Statistics Canada, Alcohol and cannabis sales in Canada (year ending March 2025). Tobacco is measured in units rather than comparable retail dollars: Canadian manufacturers produced roughly 8.4 billion cigarettes in 2024.

Which way each is heading

This is the real story. Cannabis is the only one of the three that is growing. Both alcohol and tobacco use have been drifting downward for years.

SubstanceDirectionWhat the data shows
Cannabis Growing Past-year use up from 22% (2018) to 26% (2024); sales +6.1% in 2024/25
Alcohol Declining Non-drinkers rose from 23% (2015) to 29% (2024); sales down 1.6%
Tobacco Declining Smoking at a record-low ~11%; youth smoking under 2%

Sources: Statistics Canada (alcohol and cannabis sales and consumption trends); Health Canada, Canadian Cannabis Survey 2024; current smoking prevalence 2024.

This page is about the data, not the health effects

We compare use and market size here, not the risks of each substance. For health information, always rely on Health Canada and your doctor.

Cannabis vs alcohol, in depth Cannabis by the numbers Economic impact

Common questions

Do more Canadians use cannabis or alcohol?

Alcohol is far more common. About 77% of adults drank in the past year, compared with 26% who used cannabis and roughly 11% who smoke cigarettes.

Is cannabis use growing in Canada?

Yes, and it's the only one of the three that is growing. Cannabis use and sales are rising, while both alcohol and tobacco use have been declining.

How does cannabis spending compare with alcohol?

In 2024/25 Canadians spent about $25.8 billion on alcohol versus $5.5 billion on legal cannabis, so alcohol is roughly 4.7 times larger, but alcohol sales fell while cannabis grew.

Sources & notes

Every figure above comes from the sources below. The three use rates come from different national surveys, so we treat the comparison as directional. We update this page as new official data is released; always check the original source for the latest.

Know the rules where you live

Legal age, retail, and home-growing all change at the provincial border.

Find your province