Sober October poll: two-thirds of cannabis users say weed cut into their drinking

Cannabis telehealth company NuggMD polled 1,005 consumers in state-legal markets on September 24 to 26 for Sober October, with a margin of error of about 3 points. Some 31.5 percent said they have completely replaced alcohol with cannabis, and another 25.8 percent said it greatly reduced their drinking. With the 8.5 percent who said somewhat, that totals 65.8 percent.

On the other side, 9.8 percent saw no change and about 5 percent said their drinking went up. Keep the usual caveat in mind: this is a self-selected population surveyed by a company that sells cannabis access, so it shows how consumers describe their habits, not a measured effect.

It still lines up with where the shelf is going. Beverages, low-dose products and sessionable formats are being pitched as the bar-night alternative, and Sober October gives brands a marketing hook. For operators, the opportunity is in the social occasions alcohol used to own, not just the evening wind-down.