MARIJUANA USE IN CANADA BY THE NUMBERS

The marijuana leaf and maple leaf are inseparable, according to the
findings of the senate special committee, but to what extent is still a
little hazy.

Accurate numbers on production and use of cannabis aren't available,
according to the committee's report, but it did draw a number of
conclusions about Canada's cannabis culture from existing data:

Thirty per cent of Canadians between the ages of 12 and 64 have tried
marijuana at least once. The highest usage group is 16- to 24-year-olds.

Canada has one of the world's highest rates of pot use amongst youths, with
an estimated one million having used marijuana at least once in the last
year, and 225,000 using it daily. The average age for introduction to the
drug is 15.

As many as 80,000 cannabis users are considered "at risk" for addiction,
and could suffer from ailments including chronic bronchitis and lung
cancer. Despite that, the report states that marijuana addiction is less
severe than both tobacco and alcohol addiction.

RCMP annual reports suggest that 726 tonnes of marijuana circulate each
year in the country. Fifty per cent of that is produced in Canada, mainly
in B.C., Ontario and Quebec. An unknown portion of locally-grown pot goes
to the U.S., and a similarly unknown number of grow operations are
controlled by organized crime.

The concentration of THC, the active ingredient in a joint, can vary
widely, from 6 to 30 per cent, depending on the method of growing and
species of plant.

The level of THC in the blood peaks nine minutes after use, and the
feelings of euphoria, relaxation and increased sociability dissipate within
two to seven hours. THC can be detected by a urine test up to 27 days after
use.