Among the findings: ‘Store’ surpassed ‘family member or friend’ as the most frequently reported source of cannabis since previous survey
The new Cannabis Use Trends in Massachusetts report by the Cannabis Control Commission is like a magic mirror. At 83 pages long with multiple graphics and charts, it’s the ultimate Rorschach Test, revealing either progress toward a sustainable industry (one day in the distant future, at least), or a spiral deep into a furnace of debt and despair.
First, there’s the intention of the trends report, which is based on findings from the International Cannabis Policy Study, 2019-2023. Per the CCC, the paper “serves to assess cannabis use trends in Massachusetts [so that the] commission [can] develop a research agenda in order to understand the social and economic trends of marijuana in the commonwealth.” Doing so, they hope, will “inform future decisions that would aid in the closure of the illicit marketplace and to inform the commission on the public health impacts of marijuana.”
Select findings to that end include:
- Thirty-seven percent of Massachusetts residents reported cannabis use in the past year, including 43% of the 2023 sample.
- Fourteen percent reported daily or near daily cannabis use, including 17% of the 2023 sample.
- Emerging adults aged 21-25—the youngest cohort able to purchase cannabis from adult-use Marijuana Establishments under state law—had the highest proportion of daily/near daily users (19%).
- Adults ages 56-65 were the least likely to report that they had never used cannabis (25%); however, they were also the least likely to report daily/near daily use (9%).
- Among participants who had reported previous cannabis use, the mean age reported for their first use was 19.5 years of age.
There’s critical data on methods of consumption:
- Participants report most frequently consuming cannabis products in the form of ‘Flower’ (74%), ‘Edible’ (72%), and ‘Oils, Vaporized’ (40%).
- Product preferences differed by age.
- ‘Oils, Vaporized’ and ‘Concentrates’ were more popular with younger cohorts, while ‘Topicals’ and ‘Tinctures’ were more popular among older cohorts.
And market trends:
- Cannabis users most frequently reported sourcing their cannabis from a ‘Store’ (61%), a ‘Family member or friend’ (56%), or a ‘Dealer’ (24%).
- ‘Store’ has surpassed ‘Family member or friend’ as the most frequently reported source of cannabis since the 2022 ICPS report.
- On average, participants reported that 74% of the cannabis they sourced came from legal, authorized sources.
- Across product types, ‘Topicals’ (86%) and ‘Oral oils’ (83%) were the most likely to be sourced legally, whereas ‘Flower’ (65%), ‘Concentrates’ (65%) and ‘Hash/Kief’ (55%) were the least likely to be sourced legally.
- Among participants who reported sourcing any cannabis illegally, the most frequently reported reasons for not sourcing legally were ‘high prices’ (33%), ‘less convenience’ (17%), and ‘dealer loyalty’ (13%).
Some of the public health and safety findings include:
- Fourteen percent of participants who used cannabis in the last 12 months reported driving after using cannabis.
- Of participants who answered the ‘Use at Work’ question, 13% reported use of cannabis at or before work in the past 30 days.
- The substances with the highest rates of co-use with cannabis were alcohol (48%), cigarettes (38%), and e-cigarettes (23%).
- Nine percent of cannabis users reported seeking medical services to treat adverse health effects following cannabis consumption.
- Many cannabis users reported using cannabis to improve or manage both mental health (43%) and physical health (51%) concerns.
As far as social norms and perception, 78% of participants “expressed support for legal adult-use cannabis.” While “participants’ knowledge about cannabis differed greatly depending on the topic assessed.”
You can view the whole report here, and we encourage everyone to peruse it in full and educate their networks. One syndicated prohibitionist hit piece already used it as a cudgel, reducing the thorough survey and analysis to a single unflattering stat. It won’t be the last such attack.
