Well, the results from a new study of more than 200,000 cannabis user experiences is helping businesses determine what their customers desire.

As cannabis marketing specialists, we were very interested in what they found.

What Are Cannabis Consumers’ Preferences?

In an effort to demystify intentional and mindful cannabis use across the country, researchers recorded data from a total 206,000 sessions on the Jointly app that focused on the who, what, where, when, why, and how of cannabis use.

The data was the crunched to create a full report. Here’s what they discovered:

1. Most Consumers Use Weed For Stress Relief

Relaxation and stress relief appear to be the most common goals, while replacing other substances such as alcohol or caffeine were the least common. Makes sense – given that THC is now added to coffee and cocktails.

Even so, among the people who did use cannabis to replace other substances, they had the highest success rate of everyone. Researchers speculate that it might be because “the act (of using cannabis) itself defines success, regardless of outcome.”

For those consumers, beverages containing THC were the top choice for replacing substances. Concentrates, however, seemed to be the most effective.

2. Consumers Prefer Smoking Alone and At Home

The “at home” component is likely due in part to the fact that most states and communities where marijuana is legal don’t yet have consumption lounges. But it could also be a result of people using marijuana to help them sleep.

Nevertheless, the data showed that half of the users preferred to go solo and nearly 80% were at home. Interestingly enough, consuming in nature – which was low on the list of preferences –  resulted in the best outcomes for six of the nine goals in the study.

3. Boomers Opt for Tinctures and Edibles

Those in the 58- to 76-year-old demographic are responsible for 12% of the edibles market and 3% of tinctures. That’s more than the whole combined market for everyone under 41.

For the baby boomers, they claim that edibles and tinctures more effectively give them the results they seek than do inhalable such as dabs, vapes, or flower. So if you have an older consumer base, this is valuable information.

4. Beverages Rate the Highest for Reaching Goals

Whether it’s because of advanced technologies such as nano emulsion that allow for faster onset, or the ease of accurate dosing, beverages are the overall favorite for helping consumers reach their goals. No matter what the goal is.

5. Flower Is Still Most Frequently Used

Even though beverages reign supreme in delivering results, the Jointly report found that “flower is the most frequently used product type, used in 60% of consumption sessions reported among purposeful consumers.”

Coming in a far second is vapes at 24%. Dabs account for only 8% of the market. But combined, these three inhalable forms come in at 92% for consumption sessions. So flower maintains its stately position at the top. Even if it’s not the highest rated for delivering desired results.

Go figure.

Looking to Draw More Customers?

Having knowledge of cannabis consumers’ preferences will give you the upper hand for succeeding in this saturated market.

But so too will a killer cannabis marketing and public relations strategy. We’ve got you covered. Contact us today to see how.

The post Study Reveals Cannabis Consumers’ Preferences appeared first on GROW Cannabis Marketing.

As such, it’s easy to believe that Baby Boomers would be the biggest cannabis consumers. After all, they fought hard to make it legal.

That’s not the case though.

Millennials Prove to Be Biggest Cannabis Consumers

For now, at least.

According to research from Flowhub, Millennials take the cake (or brownie, as it were) for the most cannabis consumption. In nearly every state where cannabis is legal, they dominate in the 40 – 50% range.

Not surprisingly, the Silent Generation quietly comes in last. What’s interesting though is that Generation X typically comes in second, while Boomers and Generation Z are mostly tied for the third position.

That’s changing rapidly though. And it’s not the Boomers making gains.

Generation Z Is Fastest Growing Segment

A recent study from the cannabis data firm Headset set out to determine what was the fastest-growing segment of cannabis users.

Baby Boomers constitute only a 5% increase in consumption while Generation Z clocks in at 127%. Millennials are up 47% and Generation X at 29%.

It appears that the digital natives who have blossomed into adulthood with cannabis legal in many states across the country are pretty comfortable with marijuana.

This makes them a desirable market for cannabis entrepreneurs.

Knowing Their Preferences Helps

In marketing to Generation Z, it’s important to understand their distinct buying patterns that are different from other generations.

For instance, they appear to prefer flower and like to smoke weed over non-inhalable options. As such, they are the only generation to buy most of their cannabis in pre-roll joints. They also favor concentrates.

They also tend to buy products with more THC than CBD. This makes perfect sense given that CBD is mostly utilized to manage pain or improve sleep – issues that generally don’t plague a lot of Gen Zers.

Finally, they’re not all that big on brand loyalty and prefer to experiment with new products.

The Gain Is Also Highest Among Women

And this is true across every generation, not just Gen Z.

In states where cannabis is legal, gone are the days when you have to make some shady back alley deal to buy your weed. This is especially comforting to women who were at a much higher risk in having to do so. These days, any woman can safely walk into a retail store and buy top-shelf, designer weed without worry.

Even so, many companies are still not taking advantage of smart cannabis marketing strategies to appeal to women. And they’re missing an important demographic.

The Importance of Cannabis Marketing

Knowing the demographics behind who are the biggest cannabis users and staying on top of them is crucial for companies to succeed in this saturated market.

If your cannabis company is faltering, contact us today.

Armed with the information and know-how to navigate this tricky industry, we can develop a marketing strategy that will truly make you stand out.

The post Who Are the Biggest Cannabis Consumers? appeared first on GROW Cannabis Marketing.

While legislators and policymakers banter about what will work for their state, folks are still behind bars, facing barriers, and suffering consequences from policies that remain in place even after legalization.

That’s why it’s so important that you have an understanding of the businesses you support. What they’re doing can have a huge impact on this issue.

The Need for Supporting Social Equity

Black people make up 13.2% of our nation’s population but own only 4% of cannabis businesses. What’s more, one in 20 Black Americans own business equity in any industry. In the cannabis industry, however, the (embarrassing) number is 1 in 50.

Long before hopeful Black entrepreneurs fill out a state license application, they’re faced with far more barriers than their white counterparts:

• the systemic denial of economic opportunity
• a flawed United States criminal justice system
• substandard access to healthcare

So paying attention to where you buy your cannabis is essential. Here is what you can do:

1. Research Ownership

Buying from inclusive, diverse-owned, or ally-owned cannabis businesses is a great first step.

Obviously, this requires some research. While the industry is mostly led by wealthy white men who are usually interested in market proliferation, there are those making the effort to stress social equity. They understand the challenges Black people face for funding these businesses.  And since cannabis is still a Schedule 1 drug federally, banks are not giving out loans – which already historically reject Black (and Brown) applicants far more than white ones.

Then there’s the twisted irony that past convictions for cannabis offenses – which disproportionately affect communities of color – continue to prevent people from entering the CANNABIS industry. It’s created a marketplace that systemically caters to white owners.

So when you’re scouting out cannabis dispensaries, look for diverse companies, as well as those who are supplied by the small scale legacy farmers who were pioneers for the current industry.

2. Ask the Important Questions

The way we see it, if a brand is profiting from the legalization of marijuana, they should be contributing to cannabis equity efforts as well. One of the big ones is the automatic expungement of records of people who are or were formerly incarcerated for the cannabis-related offenses.

So don’t be afraid to ask companies and brands what they are doing to support this and other cannabis equity efforts such as inclusion employment practices, addressing the ill effects of the war on drugs, and supporting BIPOC leadership in the community.

You can also access databases that track how companies are doing in reaching these goals and share data about just how much businesses that claim to be involved in social equity really are.

3. Support Companies That Educate Entrepreneurs

Unfortunately, there are companies that use people as commodities for their equity status. These businesses or organizations will often pop up in newly regulated markets and their only focus is making money.

Thus, rather than pushing the industry forward by giving marginalized people the tools they need to thrive in the cannabis space, they hire them for the sake of optics.

While you may not be able to discern whether a business is doing this, you can help by regularly contacting your state regulators and government legislators to voice concerns for cannabis equity and workforce development.

Every effort – no matter how big or small – counts.

Keep Social Equity on Your Radar

Supporting social equity as a cannabis consumer requires full awareness. You need to be intentional with every purchase you make.

By sharing what you learn and educating those around you about the damage the war on drugs wreaked on predominantly Black communities, you’re slowly building a better, stronger, and fairer industry.

After decades of work and activism to get marijuana legalized, remember that the battle is far from over for these communities. And don’t forget to keep checking with us for ongoing news and articles on this great industry.

The post Supporting Social Equity As a Cannabis Consumer appeared first on GROW Cannabis Marketing.