Nearly two-thirds of respondents (64.2 percent) said they plan to replace alcohol consumption with cannabis during the holidays, with an additional one in six answering "undecided." 67.4 percent of consumers said their replacement of alcohol consumption with cannabis will be greater than in 2019.
Many of those polled (71.2 percent) also plan to give cannabis as gifts, either to family members or significant others. 65.8 percent plan on giving flowers, 61.3 percent said they’re giving edibles, 54.7 percent are giving pre-rolls, while 32.4 percent plan on giving CBD products.
When asked the reasons they will be using cannabis themselves over Christmas, half said for pain relief and 64 percent said for better sleep. “Managing stress” was a popular reason too, cited by 53.4 percent of the 637 respondents. 53.7 percent also admitted that cannabis during the holidays was “just for fun”, while 45.6 percent were using it to celebrate the holiday season.
The results are perhaps a not-too-surprising to end a pandemic year in which Americans turned to cannabis in record numbers. Tax and revenue data acquired and analyzed by Leafly reveal that nationwide sales of medical and adult-use marijuana increased by 67 percent in 2020, compared with 2019. Sales figures topped $17.9 billion in cannabis products over the past calendar year, $7.2 billion more than 2019.
COVID stress may be the explanation: After a brief dip in late-March revenue, most stores saw a significant bump in April—and then the bump became a plateau. Governors in most states where cannabis is legal declared it an essential product during the pandemic, with dispensaries offering online ordering and curbside pickup.
