How Gen Z’s Buying Habits Are Reshaping Legal Cannabis Retail

OG article by Sallie Blackmon, MJBizDaily Contributor

November 24, 2025

Gen Z, the youngest legal cannabis consumers, are reshaping retail through intentional, selective buying habits focused on wellness, anxiety relief, workouts, and studying, rather than heavy intoxication. Adrienne Airhart of The Higher Path notes few seek to "get blasted," integrating THC into routines. This counters assumptions of lower use among youth, offering growth via product mix, pricing, and education. Generational divides show older adults (one in five over 50) using for relaxation and pain; Millennials as core spenders on edibles, vapes, topicals; Gen Z in wellness culture, drinking less per Gallup, preferring lighter substances. Gen Z faces financial stress (over half extremely worried per American Institute of Stress), high housing/inflation/student loans, making cannabis discretionary with smaller, less frequent purchases. Yet 69% prefer cannabis to alcohol, 56% replace it with lower-dose edibles/beverages, using contextually for predictability. Trends include "Cali sober" intentionality; educated queries on cannabinoids/terpenes; popularity of THCV (focus aid), CBG (mood-lifting vs. SSRIs). Merchandising shifts to low-dose sections, larger prerolls for social effects; high THC desired but with punch for dose, beyond flower/vapes. Data: Headset shows lower spend/frequency, higher low-dose buys; Flowhub favors beverages/gummies/wellness, vape pens/edibles/beverages/microdosing, tinctures/softgels/topicals; avoids party branding for wellness-like goods. Only 21-27 legal, indicating future demand. Industry growth: Evolve via education, effect-merchandising, routine SKUs for steady demand; design for value/control/purpose as Gen Z matures. This shift promises sustainable retail evolution.