According to a new study, roughly 40 percent of adults over the age of 21 in the United States are interested in exploring the benefits of cannabidiol (CBD) but want easier access, more information, and a doctor’s recommendation before trying it.
High Yield Insights conducted The CBD Consumer Experience: Part One study in January which surveyed 2,000 consumers, 1,500 of whom reported using CBD within the past three months and 500 who had not used CBD products.
The results of the study showed that among those interested in trying CBD, 64 percent are over the age of 35, 79 percent have college experience, and the majority (56 percent) are female.
“We are seeing many consumers looking to incorporate CBD into their wellness regimen,” said High Yield Insights co-founder, Mike Luce. “Consumers previously unfamiliar with CBD are rapidly showing interest.”
Approximately half of current CBD users are under the age of 24, and 54 percent of them have used it for less than one year, according to the study. Thirty percent of consumers indicated that they used CBD by itself while others preferred to take it combined with THC, which has psychoactive properties.
“CBD does seem to be benefiting from greater acceptance of cannabis,” said Luce. “Seven in ten current CBD users have also used cannabis containing CBD in some form in the past three months. This indicates that for some users, CBD-only products are serving a complementary function.”
Luce says that now that the government is taking steps to clarify CBD’s legal status, the people see it as an entry point to the therapeutic benefits of cannabis.
Cannabis policy reform in the United States made a huge stride forward in December with the signing of the 2018 Farm Bill, which removed hemp from the Controlled Substances Act and legalized hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD).
But Luce says that the FDA needs to align itself with public interest and further clarify its stance as some states are prohibiting businesses from selling CBD products, claiming it is an unregulated food additive.
Broader consumer interest in CBD has grown in recent years due to the cannabinoid’s lack of psychoactivity and range of benefits.
