Post: Cannabis popular, though growing at home less so

Survey reveals that half of Luxembourg adults have tried cannabis and that new law brought relatively minor changes in consumption

Library image of a cannabis plant. © Photo credit: Georg Wendt/dpa Reporter

In mid-2023, Luxembourg eased legal restrictions on recreational cannabis, including allowing people to grow up to four plants per household. The explosion in cannabis use predicted in some quarters failed to materialise, a new poll has found.

Also read: U-turn on legal pot ‘a shame’ says Green opposition

46.3% of Luxembourg residents have tried cannabis at some point in their life, the ILRES poll released Monday estimates. That includes 14.2% who have used the drug in the past year and 7.8% in the past month. The online poll reached 3,115 people and was carried out in October 2023.

According to the survey carried out for the health ministry, the most common way to consume cannabis in Luxembourg is in its herbal form (often called weed), smoked as a joint and procured from a friend or dealer.

Although just under seven in ten people growing cannabis at home said they started cultivating after it became legal, they still amounted to just 11.5% of recent cannabis users.

People growing at home said they liked knowing where it comes from, liked avoiding the illegal market and felt it was a safer product. They were particularly pleased at the convenience and the lower cost.

Their concerns, meanwhile, included the possibility that minors might get hold of cannabis, that it is hard to grow and that ease of access might mean higher consumption.The survey also asked people about their mental health and their beliefs about cannabis.Cannabis users were more likely than non-users to believe it helps against depression and anxiety, while non-consumers were more likely to believe it creates dependence. They also worried more about possible psychosis or schizophrenia, while users were more likely than non-users to believe cannabis can be helpful in prevention or treatment of cancer.Some other commonly held perceived benefits of cannabis were that it aids relaxation, improves sleep and can be good for social interaction. Also read: Luxembourg to look for cannabis […]

Cannabis popular, though growing at home less so