How COVID-19 is affecting cannabis habits

According to the latest Cannabit from New Frontier Data, COVID-19 is changing the way people use cannabis. As the industry number crunchers noted, “the COVID-19 pandemic has fueled widespread changes in the social consumption of cannabis among those who use it at least once a year.”

The information they found was interesting, if not a bit shocking. According to New Frontier Data, about three-quarters, or 72 percent of consumers surveyed “reported some change in their use of cannabis with others.” Furthermore, the research found that “of the 28 percent who reported no change, some likely continued sharing with others in their household (i.e., pod), or did not previously consume with others.”

Other bits of data they found includes such interesting tidbits as the fact that many users have stopped sharing their stash with others. 

“During the pandemic, 1 in 5 consumers reportedly stopped using cannabis with others,” noted New Frontier Data.  “[One] in 10 stopped consuming entirely; among those who only ever used cannabis socially before the pandemic, 33% have not consumed it since, underscoring the cohort’s reliance on friends as sources.”

They also found that “the pandemic has affected the mental health of many cannabis consumers.” According to their information, “38% of consumers said that their mental health has worsened during the pandemic, with 19% reporting that it has improved.”

In terms of the full mental health data regarding COVID they discovered, New Frontier Data wrote that, “nearly half (48%) of female and (46%) of 18-34-year-old consumers reported that their mental health has worsened, compared to 29% among males and 33% of ages 35+ (both female and younger consumers were also more likely to report having fair or poor mental health in absolute terms).”

The group continued: “More than half (52%) of consumers reported consuming cannabis specifically to improve their mental health during the pandemic; that practice was more prevalent among consumers under 55 (58%), or among those with children under 18 living at home (63%).”

Check out their latest Cannabit on COVID and cannabis below: