Which Cannabis Consumer Archetype are You?

We all know that cannabis consumers use for various reasons and come in all shapes, sizes, ages and genders. Gone are the days of assuming that the target cannabis audience is simply a group of 20-something men who like to smoke flower. Changes in law, acceptance and product offerings have pulled in a cadre of new consumers and encouraged current consumers to be more open about their use. Relying on consumer data from nearly 4000 current consumers across the US, New Frontier provides consumer archetypes based on demographics, location and intentions for consumption. And these archetype trends are changing.

In 2022, the most prominent archetype was the Savvy Connoisseur. This consumer enjoys trying a variety of cannabis products and is the top spender among the consumer groups. They enjoy turning their friends on to new products, and are more likely to be male, and younger than their other archetype counterparts. In 2022, this archetype made up 18% of consumers. But, the maturing of legal cannabis markets, and the settling into consumption habits, including developing brand and dispensary loyalty, led to the displacement of the Savvy Connoisseur as the most common archetype in 2023.

Contemporary Lifestylers, more likely to report only using for recreational purposes than their Savvy Connoisseur counterparts, and using cannabis primarily to unwind, took the lead in 2023 making up 16% of consumers. This group is more likely to use flower only and trend older than Savvy Connoisseurs. Contemporary Lifestylers view cannabis use and acquisition as part of their routine rather than an occasion. As more people settle into the legal marketplace and more older individuals dabble in regulated cannabis space, we may expect to see the number of Contemporary Lifestylers grow over time.

The cannabis consumer archetypes illustrate the variety of consumers that are looking for products and retailers who speak to them. The changes overtime stresses the importance of staying on top of who your target consumer is and the space they occupy in the overall cannabis market. But a more important question may be: which cannabis consumer archetype are YOU? To find out, take this short quiz and then share your results!