Legalization has been framed as a turning point for cannabis safety, transparency, and adoption for years, but now, over a decade since recreational cannabis sales began, American consumers are taking a closer look and asking tougher questions about whether the industry is living up to that standard.
What’s becoming clear is this: consumers are ready for a different kind of cannabis industry, one that prioritizes transparency, consistency, and clean products over just high THC percentages.
A Clear Shift in Consumer Expectations
New consumer data from Royal Queen Seeds, conducted with The Harris Poll, points to a meaningful shift in expectations and needs. Nearly three in four cannabis consumers (72%) say they are concerned about pesticides in their cannabis. That’s a significant jump from previous years, and it reflects a broader shift in how people think about engaging with the plant.
Consumers are becoming more aware of how cannabis is produced and have a rising expectation that the industry should meet the same safety standards they demand from other products.
Across industries, consumers are asking more questions about sourcing, ingredients, and production practices. They are more informed, more curious, and less willing to take product claims at face value. While this shift for transparency is not unique to cannabis, it should be a wake-up call for brands and operators who have created a THC potency-first business model, and that the industry, despite its regulatory structure, is not exempt from scrutiny about cleanliness.
The Gap Between Regulation and Trust
For years, the legal market has positioned itself as a safer alternative to the illicit market. Regulation, testing, and compliance have been central to that promise, but after a slew of pesticide scandals, there is a growing gap between expectation and reality.
Only 39% of Americans age 21+ believe the cannabis industry is fully transparent about pesticide testing. That number should give the industry pause. It underscores a simple but important truth: testing and compliance do not automatically equal trust. That trust is vital to the foundation of the regulated cannabis market.
In many cases, consumers do not see or understand the processes meant to protect them, which makes it difficult for that compliance to translate into confidence. They only see the scandals, and visibility matters just as much as standards themselves.
In a fragmented regulatory landscape, where standards and enforcement vary by state, consumers are left to navigate a system that can feel inconsistent or worse, ignored by operators. Even in well-regulated markets, that inconsistency can erode confidence.
Redefining Quality Beyond THC
Consumers are rethinking what quality actually means, and a full two-thirds say they would choose cannabis grown without pesticides even if it has lower THC. That runs counter to one of the industry’s longest-standing assumptions, that potency is the primary driver of purchasing decisions. The data is clear, and we’re seeing a shift toward a more holistic definition of quality. Safety, consistency, and reliability are becoming just as important, if not more so, than THC percentage alone. Consumers are also approaching cannabis with more nuance. For many, it is not purely recreational or purely medicinal. More than half report that their use is tied to both enjoyment and health or wellness benefits. That dual purpose raises expectations for product integrity across the board, and conversations around potency should shift to terpenes, genetics, and quality.
The Rise of Consumer Control
One of the clearest signals of this changing mindset is the growing interest in home cultivation. According to the same survey, sixty-five percent of consumers say recent media coverage has made them more likely to consider growing cannabis at home.
This is a trend really rooted in a more educated consumer’s desire for more control of their cannabis. When consumers feel uncertain about product quality, they look for ways to eliminate that uncertainty. Home cultivation offers a level of transparency that the broader market has yet to consistently deliver.
It also reflects a deeper shift toward participation over passive consumption, with consumers seeking a more direct relationship with the products they use and a clearer understanding of how they are made. Homegrown is the perfect marriage of ritual and control with the plant.
Raising the Standard
The foundation of legalization was built on safety and transparency, but those principles cannot be assumed. They need to be continuously reinforced through consistent standards, clear communication, and visible accountability. Consumers are telling the industry where it is falling short and where it has an opportunity to improve.
The challenge ahead is to rebuild and strengthen trust in a landscape where consumers are paying closer attention than ever. There is a real opportunity for the adult-use industry to invest in systems that make quality and safety more foundational. That includes a willingness to proactively address consumer concerns with transparency rather than reacting to them.
Education will also play a critical role, especially as the interest in cannabis for wellness purposes grows. Whether consumers are purchasing from licensed retailers or exploring home cultivation, they should have access to the information they need to make informed decisions with confidence.
Consumers are already signaling what matters to them. They are prioritizing clean cannabis, questioning long-standing assumptions, and are looking for greater transparency and consistency in the products they choose.
The industry has a choice. It can evolve alongside these expectations, or risk falling behind them.