Survey: Stress Management, Pain Relief Top Reasons Women Consume Cannabis

"It's time to put the image of the under-achieving stoner to rest and have a frank conversation about where cannabis fits in the modern woman's life," said April Pride, Founder of Van der Pop, a Seattle-based cannabis lifestyle brand for women. "Among the women we surveyed, the concerns around cannabis consumption stigmas were equally prevalent in areas where it's recreationally and medicinally legal compared to those where it's not–so even in places where it's completely above board to consume, women still feel stigmatized, and this unfortunately stifles conversations and educational opportunities as the world of legalization opens up."

The "Women and Weed Survey" was conducted online by CVI (Canadian Viewpoint Inc.), on behalf of Van der Pop, among 1,530 North American women (1,003 in the U.S aged 21+ and 527 in Canada aged 19+) who have consumed cannabis or are interested in trying it. The survey aimed to shed light on women's consumption habits and attitudes toward cannabis as it increasingly gains both medical and recreational legal status in states throughout the U.S and Canada. Full results are available at vanderpop.com/survey.

To find cannabis information, 36% of all women surveyed first turn to online research, followed by friends or family members (31%), and only 10% seek information from a medical professional first. When it comes to searching online for cannabis information, 75% claim they do not have a trusted online resource for this information, even though 59% of the women in the survey search for cannabis information online, signaling a need to fill the information gap.

Other key survey findings include:

• Medical, Recreational and a Mix of Both – Among survey respondents, 38% use cannabis for medical only reasons and 37% do so for a combination of medical and recreational reasons. Twenty-five percent use for recreational purposes only.
• Opioid, Alcohol Alternatives, Sexual Aid and Other Uses – While wellness and relaxation were overwhelmingly cited among reasons women consume cannabis, the study also showed 15% of women who use cannabis multiple times per month do so as an opioid replacement and 11% use it to replace alcohol. In addition, 16% noted they use cannabis to combat PMS symptoms, and more than one in ten (11%) claim to use it as a sexual aid.
• Mothers and Cannabis – Among mothers with children under 18 in the home, 41% agree cannabis helps them be more patient, playful and kind to their children. Among this same group, 39% are not worried their children will find their cannabis, while 32% do have this concern. Further, 89% of women in this group have already or plan to talk about cannabis with their children; topics they are most likely to address include medical benefits (53%), how to safely consume (49%) and when it would be okay for their children to consume (42%). Among all mothers in the survey, 46% say they would prefer their children consume cannabis recreationally versus alcohol.
• Edibles on the Rise – When it comes to consumption among women who use cannabis multiple times per month, the most common method is smoking via a bowl or pipe (77%) or a joint (73%), though consumption via edibles and vaporizers/vape pens is poised to gain ground. Among these same users, edibles are the consumption method they are most likely to use more of in the future, with a net gain of 21% saying they will, followed by vaping (13%) and joints (11%).
• Reasons to Try – Among the women surveyed, those who haven't consumed cannabis though are open to doing so, are most interested in trying cannabis due to increased scientific studies speaking to the benefits of usage (40%). Nearly four in ten women (39%) are interested due to other or easier ways to consume cannabis (such as edibles and tinctures), and (36%) are interested given there is more health and safety information available.
• Lack of Product and Chemical Knowledge – Only 21% of women surveyed strongly agree they have a solid understanding of the science behind cannabis. Additionally, of women who consume cannabis once a month or less, 43% don't know the difference between the three cannabis strain types available on the market—indica, sativa and a hybrid of the two—and more than one in three (35%) don't know what a THC: CBD ratio is. The latter ratio is important, as THC is the mind-altering substance in cannabis, whereas CBD (cannabidiol) counteracts the psychotropic effects.  

"As cannabis becomes increasingly legal for recreational use, we're going to have a lot of women trying it for the first time, or the first time in a long time, and it's important they are educated about safe consumption," noted Pride. "We're seeing there is a lack of understanding among both experienced, and particularly novice users about what they're purchasing or consuming. Clearly as an industry we have a large educational gap to close as cannabis usage grows amongst interested consumers."

For more cannabis usage insights or to request a copy of the full survey results, visit vanderpop.com/survey.

The "Women and Weed Survey" was conducted online within the United States and Canada by CVI on behalf of Van der Pop from Sept. 5-12, 2017 among 1,530 North American women ages 19 and older. These online surveys are not based on a probability sample and therefore no estimate of theoretical sampling error can be calculated. For complete survey methodology, including weighting variables, please contact [email protected].

About Van der Pop
Founded in 2016, Van der Pop is one of North America's leading female-focused cannabis lifestyle brands. With an emphasis on discretion, education and style, Van der Pop is the cannabis digest for discerning women whose aim is to enhance flower-powered pleasures through a thoughtful and candid exploration of cannabis. Through an editorial platform, weekly newsletter, social sites, product line and SESSION events, Van der Pop explores cannabis and how it relates to self-care, sex and socializing. With its recent acquisition by Toronto-based Tokyo Smoke, Van der Pop will release branded cannabis strains to medical patients throughout Canada in November 2017, as well as to Washington State's REC stores in 2018. For more information, visit www.vanderpop.com, like on Facebook, and follow on Twitter and Instagram.

SOURCE Van der Pop