The latest “Trends” study by the French Observatory of Drugs and Addictive Trends (OFDT) on consumption in the adult population reveals a composite portrait of the cannabis consumer full of contrasts, sometimes going against received ideas. , published Monday, December 19.
The data from this survey, conducted among 23,661 adults aged 18 to 64, in partnership with the French public health agency, first confirm the stabilization of the major consumption indicators, with 10.6% of the population having consumed cannabis during the year, and 47.3% (i.e. nearly eighteen million French people) having already tried it during their lifetime. They also highlight the aging trend of the average cannabis user, whose age increased from 25.1 years to 32.8 years between 1992 and 2021.
Among those under 25, all indicators have been falling since 2017, whether it concerns experimentation – down 5.5 points compared to the 2017 study, from 53.5% to 48 % – or regular use – decrease of 2.1 points between 2017 and 2021, from 8.4% to 6.3%. On the contrary, more and more users are declaring consumption beyond the age of 35, and even more so after the age of 45: 3.4% of 45-54 year olds consumed cannabis at least once a month in 2021 against 2.9% in 2017; and 2.5% of 55-64 year olds consumed it during the year in 2021 compared to 1.6% according to the 2017 study.
“ These elements raise questions about a somewhat naive initial vision of the use of cannabis in the populationemphasizes Stanislas Spilka, head of the DATA scientific unit at the OFDT and co-author of the study. At the end of the 1990s, it was believed that beyond the age of 25, with an active life, as a couple, use would decline. However, we note that some of these young users at the time continued – or resumed – their use as they got older. »
These data also question the uses that are a priori more distant from the so-called “festive” context traditionally observed in the youngest populations. “This image is probably not the same at 40, observe the authors. It is advisable to initiate a reflection on these uses of the “evening joint” or at dinner, for example. » An analysis of the context and motivations of these older smokers will be the subject of a qualitative study expected next year.
“Change in behavior”
This photograph at a time T also freezes the significant differences in consumption between women and men: 54.9% of men against 39.9% of women have already experimented with the substance. Figures far removed from those of other illegal drugs, varying between 1% and 3%. As for the use of cannabis during the year, it is twice as high among men as among women: 14.2% against 7.2%.
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