What do California’s Cannabis Consumers Think About the Importance of Purchasing Cannabis from Licensed Retailers?

About the Research

The Real California Cannabis Campaign is educating existing consumers about the importance of purchasing cannabis exclusively from licensed retailers and the potential harms of purchasing cannabis from unlicensed sellers. To help assess Californians’ attitudes toward cannabis and consumer understanding of the legal cannabis market, the Department of Cannabis Control (DCC) commissioned a statewide poll and regional focus groups.

Statewide Poll

The poll was conducted from August 4-14, 2023 and surveyed 1,048 California adults ages 21 and older via telephone and online interviews to assess Californians’ baseline understanding of the legal cannabis market.

Regional Focus Groups

A total of 98 Californians ages 21 and older participated in 10 focus groups across California from May-June of 2023. Each session’s participants included roughly half who self-identified as regular or frequent cannabis users, and two sessions were conducted in Spanish. The focus groups were conducted to develop a qualitative understanding of Californians’ sentiments regarding the legal cannabis market.