Deep Dive: Marijuana Legalization ‘Drastically Changed’ Cannabis Marketing On Instagram, Study Finds

Image: Marijuana Moment

Legalization of cannabis has enabled cannabis influencers to dramatically shift the perceptions and demographic interests of cannabis, according to a new research paper.

Here are the three points of emphasis from the story.

1: A Novel Research Methodology

The study, completed by Crime, Media, Culture: An International Journal, compared profiles in the illegal cannabis market of Switzerland to profiles of cannabis influencers in legal US Markets.

The research focused on the visual and text-based differences of the two cohorts, which led to a fascinating conclusion, detailed in the next point.

2: Women Are the Prominent Voice in Legal Markets

In contrast to the male-dominated illicit cannabis industry, legal markets have seen women take the reins in cannabis messaging.

“Our findings show that cannabis influencers on Instagram are changing the stereotypical characteristics of illegal cannabis culture as being almost entirely dominated by men, to one where cannabis is represented as a desirable accessory in certain feminine lifestyles,” the researchers said.

3: Focus On Lifestyle

Another interesting finding was how legal markets portrayed cannabis as a coveted lifestyle item.

The women influencers who are leading the charge in legal cannabis markets are particularly adept at showcasing cannabis within various lifestyles.

“No matter whether the influencers’ role in cannabis marketing is woman-empowering, gender-disturbing or not, we see push within marked and culture towards changing the traditional cannabis culture of ‘hippie’ pot-smokers to also include motherhood, health and exercising, high-end city living, and other mainstream values,” the study concludes.

--

It seems that cannabis in legal markets can be showcased by a broader range of influencers, within a broade range of lifestyle choices. It also seems to be an empowerment to woman voices, who are utilizing free expression to demonstrate how cannabis can accentuate a great life.

This is an encouraging trend, as more diversity in cannabis communication is always a good thing. Cannabis is a versatile product with almost as many different use cases as customers, so bringing a wider group of those use cases into the public view only enhances the vibrant value of cannabis.

Read More:

• Marijuana Legalization ‘Drastically Changed’ Cannabis Marketing On Instagram, Study Finds [MARIJUANA MOMENT]