Edible gummies perceived as healthier and more appealing than other cannabis products in packaging experiments
In five experiments with 841 adults, edible cannabis gummies were perceived as healthier and more socially acceptable than concentrates, and health claims on packages produced positive feelings, while health warnings had minimal effect.
Quick Facts
What This Study Found
Edible gummies were perceived as healthier, less "grown up," and more socially acceptable than concentrates. Interest in trying gummies was significantly higher. Cannabis packages with a "helps you relax" health claim elicited more positive feelings. Visual displays of THC content and health warnings had minimal effects on perceptions.
Key Numbers
841 adults (49% male, 50% young adults, 44% White, 17% Hispanic). Gummies vs. concentrates: healthier (beta 0.32), more socially acceptable (beta 0.30), more interest in trying (beta 1.33). "Helps you relax" claim: happier (beta 0.34), better feelings (beta 0.37).
How They Did This
Five online between-subjects experiments (April 2021) with 841 US adults. Experiments randomized participants to view different cannabis types, THC content displays, brand personalities, health warnings, and health claims. Measured cognitive, affective, and behavioral responses.
Why This Research Matters
As cannabis becomes a consumer product, packaging shapes perceptions. The finding that edibles are perceived as healthier and that health claims produce positive feelings suggests packaging regulation needs to account for these effects.
The Bigger Picture
If health claims on cannabis packages make consumers feel good about the product while health warnings have minimal impact, the current regulatory approach may be ineffective at communicating risk.
What This Study Doesn't Tell Us
Online experiment. Hypothetical purchase intentions. US adults may not represent other populations. Short-term perception changes may not predict actual behavior. Five separate experiments with multiple comparisons.
Questions This Raises
- ?Should health claims be banned from cannabis packaging?
- ?Are edibles genuinely perceived as less risky, or does gummy candy framing create false safety perceptions?
Trust & Context
- Key Stat:
- Health claims boosted positive feelings; health warnings had minimal effect
- Evidence Grade:
- Five randomized experiments with large combined sample and appropriate statistical methods.
- Study Age:
- Published in 2022, experiments conducted April 2021.
- Original Title:
- The Impact of Cannabis Packaging Characteristics on Perceptions and Intentions.
- Published In:
- American journal of preventive medicine, 63(5), 751-759 (2022)
- Authors:
- Kowitt, Sarah D(4), Yockey, R Andrew(4), Lee, Joseph G L, Jarman, Kristen L, Gourdet, Camille Kempf, Ranney, Leah M
- Database ID:
- RTHC-03979
Evidence Hierarchy
Participants are randomly assigned to treatment or placebo groups to test cause and effect.
What do these levels mean? →Frequently Asked Questions
Do people think edible cannabis is safer?
Yes. In these experiments, edible gummies were perceived as healthier and more socially acceptable than concentrates, and participants showed significantly more interest in trying them.
Do cannabis health warnings work?
Health warnings on cannabis packages had minimal effects on perceptions in these experiments, while health claims like "helps you relax" actually boosted positive feelings about the product.
Read More on RethinkTHC
- 420-sober-survival-guide
- CBT-cannabis-recovery
- cannabis-relapse-cycle-pattern
- cold-turkey-vs-taper-quit-weed
- dating-sober-after-quitting-weed
- exercise-quitting-weed-anxiety-brain
- grieving-quitting-weed-loss
- help-someone-quit-weed
- how-to-quit-weed
- journaling-weed-withdrawal
- marijuana-anonymous-SMART-recovery-compare
- meditation-mindfulness-weed-withdrawal
- partner-still-smokes-weed
- partner-still-smokes-weed-quitting
- pink-cloud-sobriety-cannabis
- quit-weed-cold-turkey
- quit-weed-or-cut-back-which-is-better
- quit-weed-regret-went-back
- quitting-weed-20s
- quitting-weed-30s
- quitting-weed-after-years
- quitting-weed-during-crisis-divorce-job-loss
- quitting-weed-exercise
- quitting-weed-grief-loss-coping
- quitting-weed-legal-state
- quitting-weed-success-stories
- quitting-weed-triggers-environment
- relapsed-smoking-weed-what-to-do
- relapsed-weed
- should-i-quit-weed
- sober-music-festival-concert-without-weed
- supplements-weed-withdrawal
- telling-friends-quitting-weed
- weed-relapse-prevention-plan
- weed-relapse-why-it-happens
- weed-ritual-replacement
- weed-ruined-relationships
- weed-social-media-triggers-quit
Cite This Study
https://rethinkthc.com/research/RTHC-03979APA
Kowitt, Sarah D; Yockey, R Andrew; Lee, Joseph G L; Jarman, Kristen L; Gourdet, Camille Kempf; Ranney, Leah M. (2022). The Impact of Cannabis Packaging Characteristics on Perceptions and Intentions.. American journal of preventive medicine, 63(5), 751-759. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2022.04.030
MLA
Kowitt, Sarah D, et al. "The Impact of Cannabis Packaging Characteristics on Perceptions and Intentions.." American journal of preventive medicine, 2022. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amepre.2022.04.030
RethinkTHC
RethinkTHC Research Database. "The Impact of Cannabis Packaging Characteristics on Percepti..." RTHC-03979. Retrieved from https://rethinkthc.com/research/kowitt-2022-the-impact-of-cannabis
Access the Original Study
Study data sourced from PubMed, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health.
This study breakdown was produced by the RethinkTHC research team. We analyze and report published research findings without making health recommendations. All interpretations are based solely on the published abstract and study data.