The results suggest that the perception of easy access could help explain approximately 39 per cent of the link between having friends who use cannabis and cannabis initiation, she added.
In other words, friends who use cannabis can make it subjectively more accessible in the eyes of the adolescent – whether by sharing products with them, facilitating contacts, or simply normalizing the idea that cannabis is “within reach.”
A striking finding: more than three-quarters of students who had an opinion on the matter felt that cannabis would be easy to obtain, despite the restrictions on possession, production, sale, and use introduced by Canada Cannabis Act of 2018.
That legislation made it legal across the country to use cannabis recreationally.
Simultaneous strategies recommended
The findings in the new study speak directly to schools, families, and public policymakers, argue the researchers, recommending strategies that act simultaneously on the social environment of youth and on their perception of cannabis accessibility.
These include strengthening young people’s skills in refusing to consume cannabis, developing quality adult-youth relationships, and establishing clear school norms around non-use.
“What works in prevention is equipping young people, not just talking to them about cannabis,” said Sylvestre. “Interactive activities led by peers or community practitioners have a much greater impact than a lecture or just transmitting information.”