A poll conducted by NuggMD, a cannabis telehealth platform, found that 65.8 percent of cannabis consumers said marijuana had helped them completely eliminate or at least somewhat decrease their alcohol use, according to results the company released to mark the month of "Sober October." The survey involved interviews with a representative sample of 1,005 cannabis consumers in state-legal markets between September 24-26 and has a margin of error of +/- 3.09 percentage points.
NuggMD poll finds 65.8% of cannabis consumers report reduced or eliminated alcohol use
A poll conducted by NuggMD, a cannabis telehealth platform, found that 65.8 percent of cannabis consumers said marijuana had helped them completely eliminate or at least somewhat decrease their alcohol use, according to results the company released to mark the month of "Sober October." The survey involved interviews with a representative sample of 1,005 cannabis consumers in state-legal markets between September 24-26 and has a margin of error of +/- 3.09 percentage points.
The poll reported that 31.5 percent of respondents said they have "completely replaced alcohol with cannabis," 25.8 percent said marijuana has "greatly decreased my alcohol consumption" and 8.5 percent said it has "somewhat decreased my alcohol consumption." Another 9.8 percent said cannabis has "not changed my alcohol consumption," 2.1 percent said it has "somewhat increased my alcohol consumption" and 2.7 percent said it has "greatly increased my alcohol consumption."
NuggMD described the results as the latest in a series of market analyses, surveys and studies indicating that the cannabis sector and the marijuana legalization movement have been a disruptive force for the alcohol industry. A study published in August showed that most people who consume cannabis THC beverages end up drinking less alcohol, according to the source: two-thirds of participants, 65 percent, said they drank less alcohol during the research period while consuming THC beverages; 56 percent said they would consider using cannabis drinks "as a regular replacement for alcohol"; 53 percent reported a decreased craving for alcohol; and 47 percent said they now prefer the THC beverage they tested over their usual alcoholic drink.
A survey released last year, as described in the source, showed that four in five adults who drink cannabis-infused beverages said they have reduced their alcohol intake, and more than a fifth said they have quit drinking alcohol altogether. The source states that survey was released shortly after a leading alcohol industry group added a company that makes THC-infused drinks to its membership roster for the first time, which the source described as further signaling a cultural shift. According to a poll of 1,000 young professionals cited in the source, one in three millennials and Gen Z workers choose THC drinks over alcohol for after-work activities such as happy hours. A poll released last year found that a majority of Americans believe marijuana represents a "healthier option" than alcohol, and most also expect cannabis to be legal in all 50 states within the next five years, the source states.
The article appeared in Marijuana Moment, which describes its own output as cannabis advocacy journalism and says it is made possible with support from readers, asking readers to consider a monthly Patreon pledge. The source names Tom Angell as the editor of Marijuana Moment and describes him as a 25-year veteran of the cannabis and drug law reform movement who previously reported for Forbes, Marijuana.com and MassRoots, was given the Hunter S. Thompson Media Award by NORML, was named Journalist of the Year by Americans for Safe Access, founded the nonprofit Marijuana Majority and handled media relations, campaigns and lobbying for Law Enforcement Against Prohibition and Students for Sensible Drug Policy.
- The source does not state the year in which the September 24-26 polling period took place.
- The source does not account for the remaining 19.6 percent of poll respondents, whose answers are not reported.
- The source does not state who funded the NuggMD poll or whether any independent party reviewed its methodology, sampling or questionnaire.
- The source does not state how the 1,005 respondents were selected or the method by which the interviews were conducted.
- The source does not name the institution, publication, sample size or peer-review status of the study published in August.
- The source does not name the survey released last year on cannabis-infused beverages, nor the pollster that conducted it.
- The source does not name the "leading alcohol industry group," the THC-infused drinks company it added to its membership, or the group's stated reason for the addition.
- The source does not name or attribute the poll of 1,000 young professionals on after-work drink choices.
- The source does not state whether the alcohol industry or any other opposing party was asked to respond to the NuggMD poll.
- The source does not state the polling organization behind the prior-year poll on Americans' views of marijuana relative to alcohol.
Read the original at Marijuana Moment