Associations between noticing public health education campaigns about cannabis and risk perceptions in the northern Canadian territories: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Abstract This study investigated whether noticing cannabis education campaigns was associated with increased cannabis risk perceptions in Canada’s three territories following non-medical cannabis legalization. Data were from the Cannabis Policy Study in the Territories, including 2452 participants, age ≥16 years residing in Yukon, Northwest Territories and Nunavut. Poisson regression with robust standard errors were used to estimate associations between noticing cannabis education campaigns and moderate to very high risk perceptions of daily cannabis smoking, vaping, edible use and exposure to second-hand cannabis smoke, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics and cannabis-use frequency. Results were compared with associations with risk perceptions of daily alcohol consumption and cigarette smoking, not included in cannabis education campaigns. Interactions were examined between noticing education campaigns and age group and cannabis-use frequency. Cannabis education campaigns were noticed by 40.4% of respondents, with lower awareness among those with lower education and income. Noticing campaigns was associated with higher risk perceptions of daily cannabis smoking [adjusted risk ratio (RRadj) = 1.09, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02–1.16] and vaping (RRadj = 1.09, 95%CI: 1.02–1.16). Significant interactions were not found with age group or cannabis-use frequency. Findings are consistent with modest effects of cannabis education campaigns. Approaches are needed to increase reach of cannabis education campaigns, including among groups with lower education and income.