The intersection of Women and Cannabis
By WM Communications Team
Whether it’s working in the industry, consuming cannabis, or supporting women-owned businesses, the female (and female identifying) perspective is a unique one within the cannabis industry. In recognition of women’s history month, we’re taking a closer look at the intersection of women and cannabis, and where women see themselves both as consumers and participants within the industry.
When it comes to the data, Weedmaps 2021 data and insights report, “Cannabis in America,” revealed a number of cannabis industry trends, and cultural revelations, many of which delineated female and male opinions. The report, which was compiled directly from Weedmaps-owned orders data and bespoke research from consumer surveys, tells the story of women increasing their cannabis consumption in the wake of the pandemic, and also actively advocating to support fellow women in the industry.
Consumption
According to the Weedmaps report, cannabis consumers were turning to cannabis more often as the COVID-19 pandemic continued, with more than half (51%) noting that their consumption had somewhat or significantly increased since the pandemic hit the U.S. in March 2020. When broken down by gender, cannabis consumption with women increased by 45%, but for men the increase was even greater at 58%.
The report also found that women tend to stick to the cannabis products they are most familiar with, noting that only 23% of women surveyed have “experimented with different cannabis products,” and only 10% have “switched the types of cannabis products they use.”
A recent article by Liz Connors at Headset noted that female shoppers tend to consume less weed than men, but still make up about one-third of the cannabis retail market. When it comes to what women consume, Connors notes that women shoppers, “prefer edibles, topicals, tinctures, and sublinguals” while their male counterparts tend to purchase cannabis in the form of concentrates.
Support of Social Equity
When it comes to ensuring diversity within the cannabis industry, and supporting those harmed by the war on drugs, the Weedmaps report indicated that while both men and women agree that the cannabis industry should be equitable, female respondents felt much more strongly about social equity initiatives than their male counterparts -- especially when it comes to advocacy and support.
The report also noted that significantly more women -- 31% versus 21% -- noted their support for social equity programs within the cannabis industry. Additionally, data also noted the following:
- Nearly half of all respondents (46%) want to patronize women-owned cannabis businesses, but only 13% of cannabis consumers say they actually know if their cannabis retailer reflects a specific ownership type (e.g. - women, minority, LGBTQ+, veteran, disabled).
- The majority of women - 60% - believe in equitable access to cannabis industry opportunities (men - 53%).
- More than a third of women who use cannabis (37%) say that everyone benefits from diversity and inclusion in the cannabis marketplace (men reported in at 32%)
While the data shows that women are consuming cannabis in different, perhaps even more discreet forms than men, it also notes that women who are cannabis consumers and advocates are more vocal about their support of an inclusive cannabis industry. As the industry continues to evolve and grow, women will no doubt be an integral part of both consumption and advocacy of the plant, in new and unique ways. As Connors noted in her article, “in the end, while no single product or category is exclusive to one sex, it seems more women are engaging in some of the more nuanced methods of cannabis consumption.” How this continues to evolve -- especially as it continues to become legal and more readily available across the U.S. -- remains to be seen.