Conservative cannabis consumers may smoke more frequently than their liberal counterparts, according to new survey data from analytics firm Brightfield Group.
The latest figures showed that while more respondents considered themselves Democrats, the Republicans polled were more likely to use marijuana multiple times per day.
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The numbers come from a U.S. Cannabis Consumer Insights survey of over 5,000 current consumers in several legal states. The survey, shared with GreenState, covers a wide range of demographics and can be utilized by brands seeking to learn more about their target customers.
Of those surveyed, 39 percent were Democrats, 20 percent were Republicans, and 27 percent were Independent. Two percent selected “Other,” while 11 percent of respondents said they were not politically active.
When examining the frequency of cannabis consumption for all respondents, 48 percent said they consume multiple times a day. Looking at Republicans specifically, that number goes up to 54 percent.
A little over 42 percent of Dems said they light up multiple times a day. The liberal contingent was more likely to smoke once a day or two to four times per week.
The numbers may come as a surprise to some, but the red and blue lines have been blurred as more states legalize cannabis. A recent survey from New Frontier Data also indicated that consumers are fairly split when it comes to their political affiliation.
“A lot of other studies have pointed out that normalization is growing among any political affiliation,” Madeline Scanlon, cannabis insights manager at Brightfield, told GreenState.
“There have even been times where there have been higher proportions of Republicans. In 2020, there was a large influx of cannabis consumers, and actually, 26 percent of the pool was coming up Republican.”
More conservative voters support federal marijuana legalization than ever before. A poll conducted earlier this year showed that two-thirds of Republicans are in favor of reform.
“At the end of the day, cannabis is, a lot of times, about personal freedom, which I think can resonate with Republican constituents,” Scanlon surmised.
Cannabis may have at one time been associated with the left-leaning counterculture, but not so much anymore. As stigmas erode, people from across the political spectrum have been gravitating toward the plant.
