An Examination of Cannabis Retailers and Stigma of Cannabis Use in Canada

The purpose of this thesis is to examine how cannabis retailers are changing the stigma of cannabis use in Canada after legalization. This thesis also examines how cannabis retailers can rebrand cannabis products for leisurely activities and medicinal use. Since October 2018, cannabis has been legalized as a recreational drug in Canada; Canadians can carry up to 30 grams without getting arrested or fined. Secondary and primary research for this study shows that Canadians still have a negative attitude toward cannabis because they have not been taught about cannabis enough through the education system and have been misinformed on cannabis through anti-cannabis propaganda that came out in the 1930s. This thesis discusses the history of cannabis, how it got its negative reputation, primary results that show current cannabis perceptions of Canadians, and further steps on how to rebrand cannabis as both medicine and a recreational drug.