Valentine’s Day is upon us, the February holiday of romance where there’s no shortage of loving gestures, including cards, chocolate, roses and… cannabis?
As the cannabis industry continues to grow within the U.S., holiday traditions increasingly shift in tandem. Similar to recent studies, showing that Americans are far and wide embracing cannabis as a part of their Thanksgiving and Christmas celebrations, it appears that the same trend is impacting Valentine’s Day.
Data from an online survey conducted by Wired Research found that approximately three in five (61%) of American adults over the age of 21—nearly 148 million people—plan to incorporate cannabis into their 2023 Valentine’s Day plans, either by using it or giving it as a gift, according to a news release.
The survey was commissioned by Verano Holdings Corp., a multi-state cannabis company, and shows the changing attitudes around cannabis in the U.S. as more adults continue to adopt cannabis around traditional holiday practices. While chocolates or flowers have reigned supreme in the past as iconic romantic gestures during the holiday, the survey found that nearly two in five American adults (37%) would be happy to receive cannabis as a gift for Valentine’s Day.
The survey also affirms that more folks continue to embrace cannabis instead of alcohol, as more than 19 million American adults over the age of 21 (13%), who said they plan to incorporate cannabis into their holiday plans this year, also do not plan to drink alcohol as part of their celebrations.
The survey examined additional demographics, finding that men (66%) are more likely than women (57%) to consider making cannabis as part of their Valentine’s Day plans this year. Gen Z and millennials were also significantly more likely than Gen X and Baby Boomers to include cannabis as part of their celebrations (70% versus 57%).
Perhaps a surprising finding, the survey also found that American adults with children (69%) were more likely than their peers without children (57%) to consider making cannabis a part of their Valentine’s Day celebrations this year.
The survey also found that there was a perceived increase in romance and sexual performance when it comes to cannabis. About one in four (24%) of American adults believe that cannabis use will put them in a more romantic mood, and about one in four (23%) American adults who use cannabis reported that it improves their sex life, results found.
“Cannabis can have a decidedly positive impact on romance and intimacy, especially on occasions like Valentine’s Day where there are so many external stresses and pressures to make the day special,” said CannaSexual sex coach Ashley Manta in the news release.
Dr. Shannon Shavez, a psychologist and sex therapist, added that this data shows that Americans use cannabis to relax and improve their moods, which in turn can help people to be present and feel more connected, both “crucial to a better love life.”
“Valentine’s Day is a great opportunity for couples to try something new together and try a more dynamic and less formulaic approach to intimacy, which cannabis can help inspire,” Dr. Shavez said.
While medical cannabis is legal in the majority of U.S. states, recreational cannabis is still catching up, and the survey results reflected that accessibility could also impact the uptick in Valentine’s Day cannabis use. American adults in the Northeast were most likely to use or gift cannabis this year, with 66% compared to 55% in the Midwest, 61% in the West and 63% in the South.
The results note that this regional interest in cannabis may be due to several states, like Connecticut, New York, Vermont and New Jersey, newly introducing legal cannabis legislation over the past year.
It’s perhaps unsurprising that holidays like Valentine’s Day are beginning to shift more toward cannabis, given that—aside from 420—top sales dates for cannabis tend to fall during the weeks of Thanksgiving and Christmas.
