Public Opinion and Cannabis Policies: What Can We Learn from Canadian Market?
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Public Opinion and Cannabis Policies: What Can We Learn from Canadian Market? by Huong Mai A Thesis presented to The University of Guelph In partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Marketing and Consumer Studies Guelph, Ontario, Canada © Huong Mai, December, 2019 ABSTRACT PUBLIC OPINION AND CANNABIS POLICIES: WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM CANADIAN MARKET? Huong Mai Advisor University of Guelph, 2019 Professor May Aung This thesis explores the phenomenon of public opinion on cannabis legalization in Canada. Specifically, this study investigated consumers’ opinions towards the cannabis policy and its market place. A netnographic study on four online communities: Canadian Weed Forum, Roll It Up Forum, sub-reddits r/marijuana and r/canadients, was conducted. Findings suggested that consumers’ opinions on the cannabis legalization policy vary from strongly supportive to strongly negative statements. Overall, consumers could be divided into different groups: groups of enthusiasts and haters of legalization. This study found that negative attitudes toward cannabis policy exist in the Canadian market. Additionally, product and price are found as important marketing mix elements in the market place. Results suggested that four symbolic boundaries: quality boundary, purpose boundary, source boundary and geographical boundary influencing the meaning of product to consumers. Different price points also impact on consumers’ attitudes towards cannabis product in the market place. Conceptual and managerial contributions are also offered. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First and foremost, I would like to thank my Advisor May Aung. Your time, dedication and patience have guided me to the development and completion of this thesis. I am so grateful for your support and encouragement, especially during the hard time of my thesis progress. I have learned so much from you and you will always be a role model for me in the next chapter of my life. I would also like to thank my committee members Dr. Towhidul Islam and Dr. Laila Rohani. You both have given me great advices and mentorships for my thesis progress. Moreover, I would like to thank Dr. Jian Zhou to chair my defense. I appreciate your time to re-schedule the date and given me valuable insight. Additionally, I would like to thank all my professors and faculties in the department of Marketing and Consumer Studies at the University of Guelph, especially to Rita Raso. Your guidance and support made such an impact to my academic experience. It was such an honor to be one of the graduate students in this department. I would also like to thank you all my friends: Miriam, Allison, Zuzanna, Emily and Shreya – you guys definitely made this journey a little bit better! Finally, I would like to thank my father and my mother. You are my inspirational for my master’s degree path. More importantly, I want to thank my husband Tuan Anh and my son Luke. You guys are the reason of this thesis completion. I love you both very much! iv TABLE OF CONTENTS Abstract .......................................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................ iii Table of Contents .......................................................................................................... iv List of Tables ................................................................................................................ vii List of Figures .............................................................................................................. viii List of Appendices.......................................................................................................... ix 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Overview .............................................................................................................. 1 1.2 Research Objectives and Research Questions..................................................... 2 1.3 Research Design and Overview of Chapters ........................................................ 2 2 Literature Review ........................................................................................................ 4 2.1 Cannabis in Canada ............................................................................................. 4 2.1.1 What is Cannabis? ......................................................................................... 4 2.1.2 Regulation of Cannabis in Canada ................................................................. 5 2.1.2.1 Product ........................................................................................................................................... 7 2.1.2.2 Price ................................................................................................................................................ 9 2.1.2.3 Place ............................................................................................................................................. 10 2.1.2.4 Promotion ..................................................................................................................................... 10 2.2 Past Studies on Cannabis for Medical Purpose and Recreational Purpose ........ 11 2.2.1 Cannabis Studies for Medical Purpose ........................................................ 11 2.2.2 Cannabis Studies for Recreational Purpose ................................................. 12 2.3 Past Studies within the context of Social Media .................................................. 12 2.3.1 What is Social Media?.................................................................................. 12 2.3.2 Social Media Streams and Nature of Members ............................................ 13 2.3.3 Cannabis Studies on Social Media Streams ................................................. 16 v 2.3.4 Cannabis Online Communities ..................................................................... 17 2.3.4.1 Global Cannabis Online Communities............................................................................................ 17 2.3.4.2 Canada Cannabis Online Communities .......................................................................................... 23 3 Research Methodology ............................................................................................. 26 3.1 Netnography Research Methodology ................................................................. 26 3.2 Preliminary Studies and Outcome ...................................................................... 26 3.3 Research Design ................................................................................................ 31 3.3.1 Research Communities ................................................................................ 31 3.3.2 Data Criteria ................................................................................................. 32 3.3.3 Data Sets ..................................................................................................... 35 3.3.4 Data Analysis ............................................................................................... 36 3.4 Ethics ................................................................................................................. 37 4 Findings .................................................................................................................... 39 4.1 Canadian Cannabis Policy.................................................................................. 39 4.1.1 Group of Enthusiasts.................................................................................... 40 4.1.1.1 Optimistic Enthusiasts ................................................................................................................... 41 4.1.1.2 Confirmed Enthusiasts .................................................................................................................. 42 4.1.2 Haters of Legalization .................................................................................. 44 4.1.2.1 Anti-Government Believers ........................................................................................................... 44 4.1.2.2 Big-Company Haters...................................................................................................................... 46 4.1.2.3 Nostalgic Consumers ..................................................................................................................... 47 4.1.2.4 Confused Consumers .................................................................................................................... 48 4.2 Canada Cannabis Market Place ......................................................................... 49 4.2.1 Product ........................................................................................................ 49 4.2.1.1 Quality Boundary .......................................................................................................................... 50 4.2.1.2 Purpose Boundary ......................................................................................................................... 51 4.2.1.3 Source Boundary ........................................................................................................................... 53 4.2.1.4 Geographical Boundary