47% of U.S. Cannabis Consumers Report Choosing Cannabis Products Over Alcohol

New Frontier Data, the premier data, analytics and technology firm specializing in the cannabis industry worldwide, publishes its latest report, Cannabis & Wellness: A New Consumer Paradigm, released in partnership with SōRSE and Jointly, examining various facets of health and wellness-related consumption patterns amongst current U.S. cannabis consumers. For each wellness practice identified in this report (medical, mental health, physical fitness and alcohol replacement), individuals represented by New Frontier Data’s cannabis consumer archetypes illustrate distinct motivations and use cases.

The study reveals, as cannabis normalization continues to build across the U.S. market, 23% of cannabis consumers now partake in support of their general wellness, while 79% report cannabis to have an overwhelmingly positive impact on their lives. From cannabis-friendly yoga to cannabis social lounges as alternatives to traditional bars, the growing acceptability of cannabis use outside of the home, as well as in regulated public and social spaces, now provides numerous options for consumers to access cannabis to enhance their physical, mental and social well-being.

“The U.S. consumer base is diversifying, and reasons for use are extending well beyond recreational use into broader medical and wellness applications,” noted Giadha A. DeCarcer, Founder and Executive Chair of New Frontier Data. “Our continued focus on data and reporting on the full spectrum of cannabis consumer behavior, now expanding into more nuanced aspects of medical use across North America and Europe, will provide industry stakeholders with a 360-degree view of the cannabis consumer opportunity.”

Key Findings:

Relaxation and stress relief are the leading reasons for cannabis use, and 52% of current consumers reported taking cannabis to improve their mental health during the pandemic.

Combining cannabis and exercise challenges the longstanding “unhealthy, sedentary stoner” stereotype, and 13% of consumers reported regular use of cannabis before exercise to improve training.

Alcohol replacement may be more successful for consumers as legal access to infused beverages expands, with 47% of cannabis consumers replacing at least some alcohol use with cannabis. Opportunities exist for producers of infused beverages as they are increasingly viewed as a more suitable replacement for drinking an alcoholic beverage.

About New Frontier Data:

New Frontier Data is the premier data, analytics and technology firm specializing in the global cannabis industry, delivering solutions that enable investors, operators, advertisers, brands, researchers and policy makers to assess, understand, engage and transact with the cannabis industry and its consumers.