Marijuana industry faces challenge in gaining Canadians’ trust, survey finds

While legalization over all enjoys popular support, the devil will be in the details and there is abundant room for missteps as the marketplace is created and governed
The Globe and Mail (Canada)
Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Marijuana stocks may have leapt higher on the news of Ottawa’s plans to legalize the drug by next year, but the industry is facing an uphill battle in building trust with Canadian consumers, according to a new survey. When Environics Communications asked whether they trust companies in each sector to “do what is right for Canada, Canadians and our society,” survey respondents ranked marijuana dead last among roughly 20 sectors – giving it a lower trust rating than such sectors as pipelines, social media platforms, and pharmaceutical companies. Just 13 per cent of roughly 1,500 people gave marijuana companies a rating of five or higher on a seven-point trust scale.