Survey Reveals Majority of Consumers Consume Same or More Despite Recession

By Therin Miller | Chronic Magazine

A recent national survey that was conducted on 1000 cannabis consumers from U.S. states in order to find out how they are adapting to inflation. The survey was conducted by Pollfish and overseen by Julian Scaff - director and associate professor at Art Center College of Design.

According to the poll cannabis consumers are increasingly looking for more potent weed at an affordable price. This is in contrast to last year where branding and strain type was significantly more important to cannabis consumers. The shift is likely due to the current financial recession we are in which has caused a significant financial strain on many people.

The poll revealed that a majority of cannabis consumers reported consuming either the same amount or more of cannabis compared to the year prior, even though inflation has been a source of strain on their budgets. Specifically, 63% of respondents claimed that the current rate of inflation felt either painful or very painful to their finances, yet 24% stated they were consuming more cannabis than last year, and 52% reported their consumption was about the same.

The number of people planning to use cannabis as part of their holiday celebrations increased slightly from last year, with 92% of cannabis consumers stating they will be using it this year. Additionally, 29% of respondents stated that with cannabis they are drinking less alcohol, a 6% uptick from 2021. This suggests that many people are turning to cannabis as an alternative during these difficult financial times.

Overall, it appears that cannabis consumption has not been impacted by the recession. The poll showed that the average amount spent per month on cannabis products was between $150 and $200, with 12% saying they spend more than $200 each month. This shows that many people are willing to invest in good-quality cannabis, despite the financial constraints of the pandemic.

Finally, the survey also revealed that dried cannabis flower gained more market share as customers’ favorite type of product. This may be because this form of cannabis is typically cheaper than manufactured products. As such, it appears that price has become an even more important factor when deciding what type of cannabis to purchase.