Cannabis: America’s New Everyday Medicine

While most cannabis marketing celebrates escape, America’s 10+ million regular users are seeking relief. Cannabis manufacturers and sellers promote rebellion and "elevated experiences" while consumers mainly seek sleep, pain relief, and anxiety management. Whether for menstrual pain, anxiety, or stress, cannabis has emerged, for a significant segment of the US adult population, as America's affordable alternative to expensive and complicated healthcare. In fact, “recreational” is an obsolete misnomer for those spending the most in the category. This major disconnect between brand messaging and user reality demands a fresh look at this fast-growing consumer category.

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ELI's Crystal Ball Predictions — For the U.S. Recreational Cannabis Market:

1. "Recreational" will disappear from cannabis branding by 2027. Users aren’t relaxing; they're targeting symptoms. Successful brands will shift from party aesthetics and lifestyle branding to symptom-solution language. Products that offer "sleep support" and "stress relief" will outsell vibe-based strains 3:1 as consumers value function over allure.
2. Primary care doctors will recommend cannabis before prescribing sleep aids by 2026. Doctors are quietly recognizing cannabis's effectiveness and milder side effects for pain, as users prefer it over pharmaceuticals for chronic conditions. Progressive healthcare systems will integrate cannabis consultations with traditional treatments within a year.
3. Convenience stores will become America's largest cannabis retail channel. Many cannabis users prefer grab-and-go or click-to-buy commerce. By 2028, major convenience chains in legal states will stock cannabis products alongside everyday items.
4. Corporate wellness programs will subsidize cannabis by 2027. Since 62% of users rely on cannabis for anxiety and sleep, progressive employers will include it in mental health benefits. Pilot programs at tech firms and startups are expected before broader adoption in traditional industries as workplace cannabis policies evolve.
5. Women will drive the next phase of cannabis product innovation. Nearly 1 in 10 cannabis users use the drug for menstrual pain, yet most cannabis marketing targets men. By 2026, women-focused products for pain, mood, and wellness are predicted to be the fastest-growing segment, appealing to those who see cannabis as healthcare rather than just recreational use.

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Five Distinct Segments Defining the Cannabis User Landscape:

Daily Copers (61.5%) Cannabis as background comfort.

Similarly to how past generations used cocktails or cigarettes, cannabis helps with anxiety, sleep, social ease, and mild depression. Cannabis isn’t part of their identity—they’re just people using a practical tool to navigate modern life.

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Treaters (12.9%) Chronic condition treatment.

Real health issues like arthritis, IBS, severe pain, and insomnia are often treated more effectively or with fewer side effects with cannabis than pharmaceuticals. Users research strains, follow health policies, and use herbal remedies alongside cannabis. They're patients managing symptoms, not recreational users seeking highs.

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Healers (9.4%) Self-care and symptom relief.

Period pain, ADHD, stress from underemployment drive women, lower-income groups to use cannabis as accessible relief and self-care, offering affordable control over physical and mental well-being.

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Optimizers (8.8%) Performance under pressure.

Cannabis helps them stay sharp in business, sports betting, decompress after losses, and focus in competitive situations. They see it as a performance supplement—helping manage stress, maintain competitiveness, and stay in flow during high-stakes decisions.

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Stress Managers (7.4%) News cycle survivors.

Older, politically engaged individuals constantly process distressing news. Cannabis helps them unwind after doomscrolling and civic anxiety. It allows guilt-free relaxation from overwhelming political chaos.

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About Sooth & ELI

Sooth is the predictive intelligence company decoding the 93% of human decisions driven by emotional, practical, and situational needs. Powered by ELI — Sooth’s exclusive Emotional Logic Interface — Sooth uncovers hidden signals, turning audience behavior into predictive foresight. Sooth’s patent-pending methodology uses artificial intelligence to cross-reference more than 100 million intent signals with data on 300 million individuals worldwide to predict buyer tendencies with 91% predictive accuracy. For more information, visit soothbetold.com and eliwashere.ai.

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