Canadians are drinking less alcohol while spending more on marijuana, according to a report released today by Statistics Canada.
The shift marks a record decline in alcohol consumption and continued growth in the marijuana market, according to government data tracking sales trends for the 2023-2024 fiscal year.
Liquor authorities and retail outlets recorded a 3.8% drop in alcohol sales by volume, the largest decrease since Statistics Canada began tracking sales in 1949. Beer saw the sharpest decline, with sales falling 4.5% to 1,950 million liters, marking the eighth consecutive year of decreasing beer consumption. Wine and spirits sales also dropped by 4.8% and 3.9%, respectively. Despite these declines, alcohol prices increased by 2.5% over the same period.
Meanwhile, marijuana sales continued to climb, reaching $5.2 billion—an 11.6% increase from the previous year. Government revenue from recreational marijuana rose 12.6% to $2.2 billion, while revenue from alcohol sales dropped by 0.5%. Inhaled extracts, including vape products, saw the fastest growth, making up 29.3% of the marijuana market, compared to 18.1% three years ago.
These figures suggest a broader consumer shift away from alcohol and toward marijuana, a trend that has been developing since Canada legalized marijuana in 2018. The continued rise in marijuana sales, coupled with declining alcohol consumption, highlights changing preferences among Canadians when it comes to recreational substances.
