Bridging the Generation Gap: Key Insights for Dispensaries and Brands
Cannabis retailers may want to reconsider their merchandise mix and sales approaches in light of a new multigenerational survey of cannabis consumers.
Conducted by Sanctuary Wellness in May and released this week, the survey’s data reveals a stark divide between age-related demographics.
According to the report, 72 percent of Americans have tried cannabis, and nearly 33 percent are current cannabis users—most of whom consume weekly or more often. Members of Generation X, whose favorite product format is flower, consume most frequently, with 89 percent partaking at least weekly. Eighty-four percent of baby boomers, who prefer edibles, admitted to enjoying cannabis at least weekly. Millennials and Gen Z, tied at 73 percent each for at-least-weekly use, prefer edibles and flower, respectively.
Source: The Sanctuary Wellness Institute
Across demographics, Americans believe cannabis is becoming more socially acceptable. Only about ten percent of Gen Z and millennials hide their cannabis use from friends. The majority of Gen Z consumers do not feel the need to hide their cannabis from their families. All surveyed demographics support the federal legalization of cannabis, and 83 percent of respondents said they believe the plant should be regulated and sold similarly to alcohol.
According to the survey, the top five reasons Americans use cannabis are stress relief, relaxation, enjoyment/fun, coping with anxiety/depression, and help with sleep issues.
One-third of Gen Z reported using cannabis to address boredom, while another third use it to enhance their enjoyment of events like concerts and movies. Brands able to tap into Gen Z’s desire to replace a mundane existence with an extraordinary Instagram-worthy experience stand to build lasting relationships with the industry’s fastest-growing consumer segment for long-term success.
While edibles are the most popular form of consumption among millennials at 68 percent, this demographic leads the industry in vaping at 53 percent. Brands without both product categories may want to consider a marketing partnership or product collaboration to appeal to the majority of millennials who purchase from adult-use dispensaries.
Although nearly nine in ten Gen X consumers use cannabis at least once a week, only 48 percent of them shop at dispensaries, the lowest percentage among all age groups. Licensed shops targeting Gen X customers should implement and optimize loyalty programs and collaborate with local brands to incentivize repeat visits from these most frequent consumers.
Baby boomers are frequent cannabis users as well, with more than eight in ten reporting weekly use. They’re also the most likely to hold a medical marijuana card, and 95 percent of medical marijuana cardholders included in the survey said their quality of life has improved since they began enjoying cannabis. Brands and budtenders who can find compelling ways to communicate the effectiveness of products like edibles for seniors can establish themselves as trusted providers.
For their survey on the perceptions of marijuana and habits, researchers at Sanctuary Wellness Institute collected responses from 1,017 American adults aged 18-78 with an even distribution between baby boomers, Gen X, millennials, and Gen Z respondents. Nearly 45 percent were men, 54 percent were women men, and 2 percent were non-binary or preferred not to reveal their gender identity.
