Introduction The interplay between the epidemiology of cannabis use The goal of this paper is to conduct preliminary analy- and public policy presents a challenge due to the undis- ses and make recommendations to facilitate the develop- cerning way in which cannabis use is reported and inter- ment of a more discerning and useful approach to inter- preted from drug use surveys. [...] The argued that the moderate use of cannabis is not a major first part provides background information on a policy- source of health and social harms (Senate, 2002), relevant typology for interpreting alcohol use, a typolo- cannabis use is usually reported in a way that discour- gy developed in France for interpreting cannabis use, ages any detailed assessment of its risk potential. [...] The second part uses data information on at-risk or excessive use of the drug— from the 2004 Canadian Addiction Survey to specify a exactly the categories of use that public policy should typology of cannabis use based on prevalence and fre- focus on if the reduction of health and social harms is quency of use and on reported harms. [...] C A N A D I A N C E N T R E O N S U B S TA N C E A B U S E 2 TO W A R D. A. P O L I C Y - R E L E V A N T. T Y P O L O G Y. O F C A N N A B I S U S E F O R C A N A D A Table 3: French Typology for Interpreting The French also collect data that allow for greater spec- Cannabis Use ification of problematic cannabis use by asking users to Percent of report whether, and how often, they smoke alone, in [...] C A N A D I A N C E N T R E O N S U B S TA N C E A B U S E 4 TO W A R D. A. P O L I C Y - R E L E V A N T. T Y P O L O G Y. O F C A N N A B I S U S E F O R C A N A D A The Canadian Addiction Survey (CAS) (2004) collected associated with use.