Survey examines New Jersey consumer attitudes and habits in year of launch

Stockton University released the results of a new survey of 660 New Jersey residents on April 25, 2023, examining consumer attitudes and actions as the market continues to take shape. Students at Stockton University texted cellphones inviting them to take the survey online, with Opinion Services supplementing the dial-in portion of the fieldwork with cellphones and landlines. The election took place from April 1 to 14, 2023.

Meet the cannabis user from New Jersey

The survey examined a range of topics related to cannabis, including general consumer purchasing habits, attitudes and behaviors in the year since launch. According to the survey, about a third of adults in New Jersey have used cannabis or cannabis products since recreational cannabis was legalized, and most users said they would like to visit a legal dispensary.

Among legal cannabis users, 47% reported using it recreationally and 39% reported using it for both medicinal and recreational purposes, while only 13% used it purely for medicinal purposes. Despite some of the highest prices in the country, 69% of users purchased products from a licensed cannabis dispensary, and 86% said they were either satisfied or very satisfied with the experience.

Based on widely reported satisfactory experiences with pharmacies, 43% of consumers said they appreciated that the products were safe and 23% said they liked the quality. Only 7% of respondents agreed with cannabis prices in New Jersey.

Looking at the bigger picture of cannabis, a majority of respondents (53%) supported the establishment of pharmacies in their own city that sell recreational cannabis (39% opposed). When asked about the potential for cannabis uptake in New Jersey’s hospitality industry, with offerings like cannabis-infused restaurants, consumption lounges and more, it was more evenly split at 48% in favor and 45% against.

Reluctance towards the legal market and demographic findings

Although in the minority, the survey also examined the habits and attitudes of residents and consumers who have yet to embrace the legal market. When asked why they had not yet visited a legal pharmacy, the most common reason given by respondents (30%) was that there is no pharmacy nearby. There are currently 24 retail stores nationwide.

Other reasons included preference for products sold elsewhere (13%) and overhead (11%). 27 percent of those surveyed gave “another reason”. Additionally, 30% of respondents admitted to having purchased cannabis or cannabis products from retailers without a license in the past year.

The survey also offers some demographic insights into New Jersey’s cannabis users. Men (37%) used cannabis more often than women (28%), and people under the age of 50 also used cannabis more frequently in the past year. Specifically, 43% of 18-29 year olds and 41% of 30-49 year olds used cannabis, while only 17% of seniors did the same, with half using cannabis solely for medicinal purposes.

Blacks had the highest cannabis use (39%), followed by Whites (33%) and Hispanic/Hispanic respondents (29%), and there were no differences in use between different regions of the state and those with and without college degrees. Democrats were also more likely (38%) to use cannabis than Republicans (24%) or independents (32%).

While it is early days and one year provides limited information, the results highlight some of the challenges facing New Jersey’s legal cannabis industry to date, as well as the demand for cannabis in the state. While prices can be high and pharmacy accessibility is still an issue, consumers generally still seem willing to travel and pay to access safe, quality products.