Data Shows Young Women Use More Cannabis Than Men— Here’s Why

Last year young women outpaced men when it came to cannabis use, but what’s behind this historic shift in consumption trends? 

According to data from the latest Monitoring the Future study, in 2023, women aged 19-30 years reported consuming more cannabis than men for the first time since records began. 

The study, conducted by the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research, has surveyed annual substance use behaviors since 1975, with the latest findings reflecting a reversal of a historic gender gap in consumption trends.

As a result, Reuters reported that brands have begun to invest more heavily in products that are proving popular with women, who are now said to account for over half of users of the cannabis app Jointly. 

 Market research suggests women are more likely to purchase cannabis from the legal market and tend to prefer products which are more in line with conventional supplements, such as edibles, oils, topicals and beverages. As cannabis becomes more widely available, and in a wider variety of formats, it’s perhaps not surprising that female consumption is on the rise.

Stress, Sleep And Pain Relief

In an analysis of YouGov data on U.S. women aged 21 and older, improving sleep quality was the top reason why women would try cannabis (16%), followed by alleviating physical pain and aiding relaxation (12%).

This was echoed in a poll I conducted among 150 members of the female networking group, EmpowHER Cannabis Society. The most common reason for consumption was overwhelmingly to unwind and cope with stress, followed by managing a long-term health condition and improving sleep.

Women are significantly more likely to be impacted by anxiety, pain and sleep deprivation, which are three of the most common indications for which cannabinoids are used, explains Dr Staci Gruber, Director of the Cognitive and Clinical Neuroimaging Core and Marijuana Investigations for Neuroscientific Discovery (MIND) program at McLean Hospital’s Brain Imaging Center.

But she adds, there is likely to be a “combination of factors” driving the increased prevalence of female consumption.

“An important element of this has to do with reporting bias and individuals slowly, but very surely, becoming more comfortable having the open and honest dialogues that need to happen,” Dr Gruber explains over video call.

“There's a lot of shame and stigma associated with this, people don’t want to talk about it. But now that’s starting to change....Women are having more honest conversations, but also unfortunately suffer from some of the more common indications where you see cannabis being used, such as chronic pain, anxiety and sleep disorders.”

As Gruber rightly points out, this is not a new phenomenon. Women have been using cannabis for thousands of years. Even the former British Monarch, Queen Victoria, is believed to have relied on cannabis tinctures to manage her menstrual cramps, with her personal physician, Sir Russell Reynolds, writing extensively about the use of cannabis in dysmenorrhoea [period pain]. But in more recent history, societal expectations have significantly shaped women’s relationship with the plant.

The Roots Of Cannabis Shame And Stigma

In her new book, Cannabis Queens, the Australian author, activist and healthcare consultant, Melanie Wentzel, delves deeper into the roots of the stigma associated with women’s consumption of cannabis; from the witch trials of 15th century Europe, to the sexualisation of women depicted in ‘Reefer Madness’ propaganda.

“Cannabis has an image problem,” writes Wentzel. “Worse than that, is the image of women who consume or work with the plant.”

Prohibition has caused widespread harm to all genders, she notes, but particularly women. At the height of the drug war, between 1986 and 1996, the number of women incarcerated on drug charges rose by 888%, with women of color more than eight times as likely to be in prison.

This could perhaps explain why according to the MTS data, older women aged 35 to 50 years, maintained a lower prevalence of cannabis use than men, consistent with the past decade.

“The data will only show what people are brave enough to say,” says Wentzel in a video interview.

“When you're in your 30s you are generally on a career track, or your identity is heavily associated with being a mum. But aged 19 to 30, [women] have just stepped out into the world and become independent.”

A More Equitable Cannabis Industry

Despite legal markets shifting perceptions about cannabis—and the fact that women make up a significant proportion of target markets—there is still work to do to address gender inequalities.

As part of her research for the book, Wentzel surveyed 75 women on their experiences in the legal cannabis sector, with over half (57%) saying they have experienced gender-based discrimination. Data from MJBiz in 2023 found that women account for just 39% of cannabis executives in the U.S.

The EmpowHer Cannabis Society was founded with to tackle exactly this. It now has a network of over 800 women from 29 countries, who are committed to supporting each other in the creation of a more equitable industry.

“We aim to provide women in the cannabis industry with a safe and empowering space to share their needs, elevate themselves, grow their businesses, and advance the industry as a whole,” says co-founder Heidi Whitman, who won the Social Impact Award at the UK’s Cannabis Industry Council Awards in November.

“Our mission is to reshape outdated societal and cultural norms in business, promoting the expertise, influence, and innovation of women as top decision-makers alongside their male counterparts.”

Whitman, who says in the book that the plant has helped her find her “people”, believes these connections and collaborations are key to making real change. Her comments come fresh off the back of the MJBizCon Women Leadership Forum earlier this month, where women were said to be “taking the lead, challenging stereotypes and reshaping the landscape of a space once dominated by men”.

Cannabis As Self-Care

In a way, Cannabis Queens is an exercise in overcoming that long-held stigma it addresses. Wentzel interviewed dozens of women about their connection to the plant and many of their experiences are directly at odds with the typical stereotypes of cannabis and those who consume it.

The result is a far more intimate understanding of why women use cannabis than that which can be gathered through consumer data. The stories are as varied and as multifaceted as the women themselves. But if there’s one common thread that weaves throughout, it’s that for many of those interviewed, cannabis feels like something of an act of self-care.

“As women, we carry the world on our shoulders—even when we're relaxing we're still being hard on ourselves because we're trained to be,” Wentzel says.

“Cannabis allows us to stop and slow down. It regulates us to the point where we're not frantic, so we feel balanced and can experience joy. That's what I think women are craving, because there is so much noise.

“Even if the journey to get to that point is complex, women who sit with cannabis attribute their self-awareness, their intimacy with themselves… to the time they spend with the plant.”

She adds: “I think it's beautiful that women are now confident to speak their truth and tell their story. It honors all who those came before them.”