From decriminalization to legalization to the pandemic, there are strong forces at work shaping how Americans use cannabis — and Weedmaps is getting to the bottom of it.
Weedmaps released a comprehensive report on the evolving role of cannabis in America this week, and its 2021 edition was packed with enlightening and informative data and statistics.
“As we reflect on 2021, we see steady progress toward a more open, diverse, and professional cannabis marketplace,” Weedmaps CEO Chris Beals said in the report. “I believe we are well on our way to a future where cannabis in America raises more capital and employment rates than it raises eyebrows.”
For the entire series of articles derived from this treasure trove of data, Boardroom will discuss trends ranging from consumption habits to the increase in delivery, how stigmas related to cannabis are evolving to how people think about legalization as it becomes more prevalent in the United States.
Weedmaps surveyed 1,000 self-identified cannabis consumers (either weed or CBD) aged 21+ in states where medical and/or recreational cannabis is legal as of June 1, 2021.
Those states are Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.
For the cannabis non-consumer study, Weedmaps spoke with self-identified non-users aged 21 or over in all 50 states and DC. These online surveys were conducted between July 25 and Aug. 20 of this year.
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Cannabis Consumption in the Pandemic Era
More than half of the cannabis users surveyed, 51%, said their cannabis consumption has somewhat or significantly increased since the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic on March 11, 2020. Among men, 58% of those surveyed and 45% of women agreed.
This increase in consumption is most prominent among Generation Z (aged 21-24), with 58% saying their consumption increased, 25% who said it stayed the same, and 17% who said it decreased.
Younger consumers under 40, according to the report, also drove sales spikes for beer, wine, and spirits, especially in segments that feature low or non-alcoholic options — think your Truly or hard seltzers of the world.
“This may be an indicator of a new perspective on self-care that includes ways to indulge without the guilt or negative effects on the body that alcohol can cause,” per the report.
From remote work to virtual school to childcare, women especially felt the disruption caused by the pandemic.
“Rather than reach for a cannabis product to help cope with the burnout and brain fog,” the report says, “women have reached for an alcoholic drink more often since the start of the pandemic.”
Coming up in our next installment, we’ll focus on what types of cannabis — smokables, vape-ables, edibles, and beyond — have been trending up in 2021 according to Weedmaps’ data.
Stay tuned.
Click here to read Weedmaps’ full report on cannabis in America.
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