Pre-Rolls, The Avocado Toast Of Cannabis: Why Millennials Are Spending +$100M A Month

Too busy paying rent to roll joints? For Millennials, pre-rolls are a $3 billion solution, claiming 44.6% of the market. Convenient and ready to go, these tidy joints have become a coping mechanism for a time-strapped generation. A white paper from Custom Cones USA and data firm Headset provides a detailed look at the modern pre-roll consumer, combining insights from over 900 cannabis users with extensive sales data.

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Pre-Roll Popularity Outpaces Other Cannabis Products

Pre-rolls have become the third-largest and fastest-growing category in the cannabis market, with sales reaching $4.1 billion from 2023 to mid-2024. Revenue grew 11.9% year-over-year between June 2023 and June 2024, outpacing other categories in dispensaries. 

Consumers increasingly prefer pre-rolls as convenient add-ons, especially when purchasing cannabis flower, which remains the top category.

Nearly 82% of survey respondents reported buying pre-rolls, with 94.2% listing joints as their favorite cannabis consumption method. Vape pens (67.3%), edibles (66.1%), and bowls (64.6%) followed, underscoring the dominance of flower consumption among cannabis users.

Who’s Buying Pre-Rolls?

Millennials dominate the pre-roll market, accounting for 44.6% of purchases in September 2024, totaling $103.9 million. 

Generation X follows at 24.3% ($56.7 million), with Gen Z contributing 18.5% ($43.2 million), and Baby Boomers rounding out the demographic at 12.5% ($29.2 million). 

Men outpace women in every generational group, with Millennial men leading at 28% of total revenue and 26.8% of units sold.

While Millennials are the largest market segment, the report also reveals a broad consumer base: the average pre-roll buyer is 43 years old, with most respondents using cannabis multiple times daily and having smoked for over 20 years. 

Notably, the survey revealed a near-even gender distribution, which aligns with broader consumption trends reported by New Frontier Data in 2023.

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What Matters Most To Pre-Roll Consumers?

Potency remains the leading factor for pre-roll buyers, with more than 70% of respondents ranking it as the most important consideration. Price came second, followed by brand loyalty. Producers, however, view consumer priorities differently, ranking price first, potency second, and strain third. 

This discrepancy highlights a potential gap between what consumers value and how producers position their products.

Pre-Roll Trends By Consumption Frequency

The frequency of cannabis use is a key factor in pre-roll purchasing behavior. Nearly 80% of pre-roll smokers use cannabis multiple times daily, while 11.7% consume it once per day. This high frequency contrasts with purchasing habits: only 16% of dispensary visits include pre-rolls, suggesting many consumers roll their joints or use pre-rolls for specific occasions.

The multi-pack format continues to dominate, with 31.1% of consumers preferring multi-packs over single pre-rolls. 

Among these, 47.5% favor packs of full-gram pre-rolls, though Headset data shows that half-gram multi-packs account for the majority of top-selling products.

Premium Pre-Rolls 

Innovation is driving the popularity of premium pre-rolls. Infused products now account for 44.4% of market share, up from 34.4% in 2019. 

Kief remains the most popular infusion (78.3%), followed by live resin (77.3%). 

Respondents also showed enthusiasm for premium filter tips, with 59% having purchased pre-rolls featuring materials like glass or wood. While these are typically reserved for special occasions, 21.4% of buyers purchase them weekly, willing to pay $2 to $5 extra for the enhanced experience.

Read Also: YouGov Poll Reveals What Women Want With Weed: Relax, Mindfulness And Great Deals

Market Trends Across States

Michigan leads in pre-roll unit sales, moving 94.6 million units between September 2023 and September 2024, aided by the nation's lowest average price of $5.57. California follows with 52.1 million units sold, while New York claims the highest per-gram price at $13.74. Regional price differences underscore the impact of market maturity, with newer markets commanding higher prices.

The Lion's Share 

Jeeter leads the pre-roll market with 8.8% of all sales, generating $504.2 million. The brand's dominance is reflected in the fact that 13 of the top 20 best-selling products belong to Jeeter. STIIIZY follows with $320.9 million in sales, and Dogwalkers GTBIF, known for their mini pre-rolls, rounds out the top three with $141.6 million in revenue. Despite Jeeter's stronghold, regional brands like Michigan's Cali-Blaze highlight the importance of competitive pricing in driving sales volume.

Methodology 

The report employed a mixed-methods approach, integrating self-selected survey data with dispensary loyalty program analytics. This combination offers both consumer-reported preferences and objective sales figures. While the survey data may reflect the views of more engaged users, its findings are consistent with broader research. This alignment suggests that the mixed-methods approach provides a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of consumer behavior.

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