Legal Cannabis Helps Reduce Drug Crime

In Canada, police-reported drug offences have fallen by nearly one-third since 2019, with cannabis legalisation credited for driving a significant shift in the country’s crime landscape.

“The legalization of non-medical cannabis has transformed drug enforcement priorities,” said Sarah Clark of Statistics Canada, noting that possession charges have largely given way to regulation of illicit trade.

Drug crime rates in 2024 were 31% lower than five years earlier, and cannabis-related offences dropped 89% from 194 per 100,000 people in 2014 to just 22. A decade ago, cannabis made up two-thirds of all drug crime; today it accounts for only 17%. While some increases were seen in 2024, long-term trends remain firmly downward, reflecting how legalisations and evolving enforcement have reshaped Canada’s approach to drug control.