A number of recent reports have shown that women are a substantial consumer group within the cannabis space, and a new national survey reveals further insight about women cannabis users and the stigma they continue to face.
MedMen released the results of a new national survey, conducted online by The Harris Poll on behalf of the cannabis retailer, examining cannabis consumption habits of American women. The poll found that more than one-third (37%) of American women over the age of 21 consume cannabis, with more than one in four (28%) saying they use cannabis once a month or more.
The survey further explores the reasons women seek out cannabis and how women consumers tend to navigate their cannabis use with others. It was conducted from Feb. 28 to March 2, 2023 among 1,020 women, of whom 391 use cannabis.
The vast majority of women cannabis consumers (91%) purchase cannabis legally at a dispensary, and 32% spend more than $100 at a dispensary in a typical month. Additionally, 35% of purchasers said they preferred to shop with a woman budtender.
As a whole, flower is the most popular cannabis product in the industry, but for women, edibles take the number one spot, according to the survey. Fifty-seven percent of women cannabis consumers said they prefer to consume edibles, followed by flower and pre-rolls at 43% and 39% preferred vapes.
Regarding reason for use, the top three reasons women turned to cannabis are for anxiety relief (60%), to help with sleep (58%) and for pain relief (53%). Women aged 21 to 44 were also more than twice as likely to consume cannabis (57%) than their older counterparts over the age of 45 (22%).
The survey also looked into how women consumers navigate their use of cannabis, with 65% saying that there are people in their life that still don’t know they use cannabis, namely parents (26%), children (22%) and coworkers (21%). Twenty-seven percent of women cannabis users said they had no concerns regarding their cannabis use, but 20% said they were most concerned with drug testing.
The results were released in the midst of Women’s History Month, which MedMen Chief Product Officer Karen Torres nodded to, calling March a “meaningful time to celebrate women” and create awareness around issues they care about.
“We know first-hand from our female-identifying employees and customers that women are increasingly turning to cannabis for their health and wellness needs. However, it’s clear that stigmas persist and inhibit us from sharing our experiences freely,” Torres said.
Torres pointed out that the survey shows that cannabis has become a popular form of self care, especially among women seeking more holistic solutions to help pain and anxiety or simply to unwind.
“The face of the cannabis consumer is changing, and so is the face of MedMen. These results will help us better understand and cater to our female customers and create a welcoming, empowering retail experience. This includes expanding our portfolio of premium women-owned brands,” Torres added.
Speaking with Forbes via email, as a queer woman of color herself, Torres highlighted the importance of representation in the industry. She also nodded to the efforts MedMen is taking to ensure the organization is reflective of its entire customer base.
“From our new hires to our C-suite, and from our retail employees to our product mix, MedMen is prioritizing diversity and inclusion to ensure our organization reflects our customer base and the communities we serve,” Torres wrote.
Stats compiled by Flowhub show that from early 2020 to late 2021, cannabis sales to women increased by 55% and that, in 2021, 48% of news customers were women, a 10% increase from 2018. A 2021 report also found that Gen Z consumers saw the fastest growth in cannabis purchases during the pandemic, with Gen Z women in particular showing the fastest growth in 2020 compared to any other cohort.
