Eaze, a company known for their cannabis delivery service throughout California, has just released new data derived from their database of 450,000 cannabis consumers as well as approximately 4,000 surveys.
Since California is the largest cannabis industry in the nation, detailed data from the Golden State may be useful in assessing the state of cannabis across the country. Overall, as expected, 2018 was a tremendous year for cannabis in California. It was the first year of legalized adult-use sales and consumers statewide spent big.
While that alone may not seem monumental, there are quite a few developments that may offer some surprises. Although cannabis may have been “De Facto legal” in California under the previous medical system, it seems there are more strictly law-abiding citizens out there than we may have realized. In fact, first-time cannabis consumers surged in 2018, growing by 140 percent due to legalization.
Among this 140 percent is not just young people looking to embrace some newly legal fun. Baby boomers were one of the fastest growing age groups to start using cannabis. In 2018, their rates of usage rose by 25 percent. When it comes to rising demographics, women seem to be dominating the new market. “Female consumers doubled, gaining three percent market share,” Peter Gigante, Head of Policy Research at Eaze told mg.
While recreational use becoming legal in 2019 is certainly the headline stealer, the medicinal side of cannabis is still going strong and even seems to be changing for the better. “A majority of top-selling vaporizer products now are not named for the strain of cannabis but for their intended effects like Calm, Happy or Relief,” Gigante said.
CBD’s healing potential has been well publicized and it is bearing out in the numbers. The rate of cannabis consumers using CBD products rose from 2.6 percent to 4.8 percent in 2018. There was a 92 percent rise in women stating an interest in CBD products. This is higher than men overall, though the number of men interested in purchasing a CBD product rose by an impressive rate of 76 percent.
Overall, men are demonstrating an interest in using cannabis for medicinal reasons. “Half of male consumers, sometimes stereotyped as uninterested in wellness, also reported cannabis for personal care,” Gigante said.
Although this is based on testimonials, it seems consumers are finding CBD to be quite therapeutic. According to the Eaze report, 71 percent of surveyed consumers reduced or eliminated their over-the-counter pain treatment while 60 percent have reduced or stopped their alcohol consumption.”
Baby Boomers may be leading in spending power (about $95 on average per month vs. $72 for millennials) and are increasing in their share of overall cannabis consumers, but millennial consumers are still the at the heart of the industry. The average age of a cannabis consumer in California is 31.
But it looks like the profile of the average cannabis consumer is starting to shift. “This report is a clear indicator of where the cannabis movement is heading. Increasing state legalization is bringing new consumers to the legal market, often starting with CBD for a range of wellness applications,” Gigante said.
If there is one clear trend, it is that just about every measurable area for the cannabis industry is on the rise. Relying on solid data will be crucial for those who want to attain or sustain their success in the cannabis industry.
