It’s looking like a number of U.S. shoppers are looking to get nice and toasty this holiday season—And no, we’re not talking about a cozy night around the fireplace.
Jushi Holdings Inc. announced the findings of its inaugural “Cannabis Consumer Insights Holiday” poll, looking at the trends of cannabis consumers ahead of the festive season. It surveyed 1,000 cannabis consumers from the U.S. with state-legalized cannabis sales, and in general, the survey shows that cannabis users 21 years and older in adult-use states are overwhelmingly incorporating cannabis in their holiday celebrations.
In addition, aligned with the tradition of giving, the majority of respondents also plan to feature cannabis products as part of their gift haul this season. The survey also looked at consumers’ favorite types of cannabis products, with flower and pre-rolls reining supreme as the tried and true favorite, followed by edibles and vapes.
The vast majority of respondents, 91 percent, said they plan to use cannabis as part of their holiday celebrations this year. The survey also asked how much is typically spent on cannabis per month, with 27 percent of respondents spending $100 to $150, 25 percent reporting $50 to $100 and 20 percent reporting $150 to $200.
A slightly smaller but still substantial figure, 76 percent of respondents indicated they were planning to give cannabis or related products as gifts. The figure rose when asked, “if cannabis was legal across all of America, would you be more likely to purchase cannabis or cannabis-related products as holiday gifts,”with 88 percent answering yes.
Respondents were also asked to rank the two most important factors when shopping for a cannabis product; THC level (50 percent) and price (49 percent) were the top choices. Respondents were also told to “check all that apply” in terms of their favorite cannabis products: flower (52 percent) and pre-rolls (46 percent) were the combined favorite, though edibles received a 65 percent response, followed by vapes at 46 percent.
Seventy-four percent of respondents also indicated that the specific strain was important or very important when choosing cannabis flower, and when asking “how important is the brand of cannabis product to you,” 74 percent of consumers said it was important or very important.
While delivery and curbside pickup are becoming more standard across legal states, the go-to shopping method for cannabis is still in-store, at a dispensary, with 58 percent ranking this as their preferred method. Purchasing online for curbside pickup ranked at 27 percent, while ordering online for home delivery came in at 16 percent.
The poll also asked questions surrounding health and wellness, with 72 percent of consumers saying they use cannabis for anxiety and stress and 54 percent relaying they use it for pain. The use of cannabis in respondents also had a varied relationship to alcohol use, with 24 percent stating they drink less because of their cannabis use and 15 percent stating they stopped drinking entirely because of cannabis. Though, 23 percent of respondents noted they actually consume more alcohol since using cannabis.
Jushi CEO, Chairman and Founder Jim Cacioppo released a statement along with the poll results:
“As a company that places a premium on leveraging the power of research, data, technologies and processes, our Cannabis Consumer Insights Holiday poll shares important revelations into how today’s cannabis consumers’ preferences and behaviors are shifting.”
Cacioppo added, “As we close out the year, we look forward to continuing to share our learnings with the larger community, particularly as the sector rapidly evolves and cannabis consumers shift their behaviors.”
As more states continue to shift cannabis legislation, and the data pool for this type of consumer research increases, the shifting status of cannabis as a new, holiday staple will be interesting to watch.
But if you’re anything like us, we’re inching into December eager to spread cheer and enjoy the festive season with our favorite loved ones and of course, our favorite plant.
