Julie Aitcheson
The “4/20 Cannabis Insights Poll”, a national poll commissioned by Jushi Holdings, Inc. (OTC: JUSHF) surveyed 1,100 cannabis and non-cannabis consumers in the U.S. (ages 21 years+) and found that not only did more than half of cannabis consumers try cannabis for the first time in the last year, but that a majority also believe that cannabis has an overall positive impact on society, economic growth and the job market. Jushi founder and CEO Jim Cacciopo attributes this growing consumer confidence to spreading state legalization and misconceptions about cannabis gradually getting debunked. “The latest data shows more people are not only embracing cannabis in their own lives but also seeing the value it brings to their communities.”
The success of the legal cannabis industry (present and future) is as beholden to politics as politicians are to their constituents. Those in office as well as aspiring candidates might want to sit up and take notice of the fact that 61% of respondents stated that they were more likely to support pro-legalization politicians. Contrary to some worn assumptions about the cannabis consumer demographic, only 33.4% of these respondents identified as Democrats, while 25.4% were Republican, 24% independent, 12.5% unaffiliated and 4.8% identified as “other”. Garnering even stronger support was the position that The Department of Veteran Affairs should update its rules to allow veterans to access medical cannabis with a doctor’s prescription, with 76.1% in favor.
The “4/20 Cannabis Insights Poll” also looked at top consumer products and emerging cannabis consumption trends, uncovering a wealth of insights about which products consumers are using most frequently and why. Medical use topped the list for the most common driver of cannabis consumption at 31.4%, with stress (22.4%), general wellness (17.5%), recreation (15.9%) and sleep (12.8%) rounding out the list.
Non-cannabis users were asked to give the primary reason that they might try cannabis, and medical use (26.1%) was their first pick as well, followed by stress (23.4%), though 23.1% of non-cannabis users maintained that they would not be interested in trying cannabis at all. If they did elect to try cannabis, non-users stated that they would be most interested in edibles (32.7%) with the second most popular answer being “not sure” at 27.8%. The poll also showed that one to two days a week is the most common consumption rate for those that do partake, and that evening (28.8%) is the most popular time to unwind with a favorite product. “Whenever I need it” (26.9%) came in a close second, and judging by this poll’s numbers, that need is steadily on the rise.
