According to a new study from YouGov, a quarter of Americans are now consuming cannabis and use has grown a staggering 56% since 2018.
Data analytics firm YouGov and cannabis company Cresco Labs conducted the soon to be released study among roughly 5,000 Americans who are “representative of the U.S. population.”
One in four adults in the U.S. are now consuming the plant or have tried some form of it in the last year says data from the study.
This is a jump of 56.25% compared to the 16% that reported using the plant in a National Survey on Drug Use and Health in 2018.
“We were curious to learn how current conditions have impacted consumer attitudes and cannabis consumption behaviors ahead of what we expect to be an unprecedented 420 celebration,” said Cris Rivera, senior vice president of retail marketing and customer experience at Cresco Labs.
“Whether it’s the stressors of a global pandemic or increased accessibility due to expanded state decriminalization, cannabis has become the leading CPG category for exploration as people flock to dispensaries to discover the range of novel formats and modern products available to them,” Rivera added.
The YouGov study also found that 44% of American cannabis consumers believe April 20 should be recognized as a national holiday.
“I think this year’s 420 is shaping up to be a perfect storm with increased consumption over the last year, more people being vaccinated and comfortable being around others, as well as a significant number of new consumers entering the cannabis market,” said Jason Erkes, CCO of Cresco Labs.
Additionally, 44% of the parents with children under 18 tried who declared having used cannabis said they had tried it for the first time in the past year. 43% of seniors (aged 65 or more) who use cannabis also gave it a shot for the first time in the past year and 64% of cannabis consumers believe that if more people embraced the herb, the world would be “a better place.”
“Our study with YouGov showed that 25% of all cannabis consumers tried cannabis for the first time this past year which means there are a lot of new consumers to celebrate and partake in observing the day. In addition, more than half of those surveyed said they would try a new product or form in their observance of 420 which should certainly help fuel retails sales,” voiced Erkes.
Rivera concluded, “We are on a mission to normalize and professionalize the shopping experience so consumers feel comfortable and confident adding cannabis to their everyday wellness. We believe that 420 should be a mainstream and inclusive holiday, and this data set shows that people all over America are planning to embrace it in new ways this year.”
