Why are people using CBD?

New survey data reveals how and why people in the US are consuming CBD – here are some of the key findings.

Data intelligence firm New Frontier has released two new reports providing in-depth analysis on CBD consumer groups in the US and the factors shaping their behaviours. 

For the survey, respondents were grouped into four cohorts based on their primary reason to consume CBD including; medical, pain management, unwinding and general wellness.

Just over half of those described as ‘unwinding’ consumers are under the age of 35, while most who use it to manage pain are aged 55 or older, according to the findings.

Medical and general wellness consumers are roughly evenly distributed across age groups.

A whopping 92 percent of medical users reported having a ‘positive impression’ of CBD and 71 percent have recommended it to someone they know.

Unsurprisingly, medical users were more likely to consume CBD on a daily basis and spent more on the supplement, with one in four claiming to be spending more than $100 per month on CBD products. 

The majority of those surveyed said they used CBD for pain management and were “highly satisfied” with CBD and most likely to believe that it has “valid medical uses”.

But in general this group was “uninformed” about the cannabis market, says the report, and only one in five weren’t  interested in learning more.

Those who consume CBD to unwind identified anxiety reduction, stress relief, sleep, relaxation and pain management as some of the common reasons for use.

This group was younger than the average and nearly three-quarters said they had discussed CBD with friends, while more than 90 percent have friends or family who also use it.

By contrast, general wellness consumers were among the least likely to have had a conversation about CBD (11 percent) and nearly 1 in 5 (17 percent) did not know any friends or family who consume it.

Oils and tinctures were the most popular consumption method, followed by topicals, edibles and drinks and vaping, with CBD in capsule and pill form the least common.

Concluding key takeaways from the survey, the authors write: “The deepening fragmentation of the CBD consumer market will continue as consumers become more familiar with the products, and more targeted in the ways by which they integrate CBD into their lives. 

“While medical consumers are most likely to be regimented in their use, more likely to be brand-loyal, and most focused on dosing, other consumers groups are far less entrenched in their product preferences or consumption habits.”

While 30 percent of surveyed consumers expected their CBD usage to increase in the next six months, just under half (49 percent) said they did not have a preferred brand.

New Frontier Data founder and executive chair, Giadha A DeCarcer, noted: “As the market is flooded with more product choices, CBD brands and retailers would be well-served to delineate and target their consumers as they would in any other mainstream product category.”

See the full report at New Frontier Data