I Took 45 Baby Boomers to their First Dispensary, Here’s What I Learned
In order to better understand how the cannabis industry can make itself more approachable to Baby Boomers, I took 45 New Englanders over the age of 60 to their first ever legal dispensary visit. The following are key takeaways from my study so far:
1. The security experience is “make or break” for Baby Boomers
Through decades of social conditioning and stigmatization, many Baby Boomers enter dispensaries already feeling like they are doing something wrong. On top of that, Massachusetts’ strict regulatory requirements result in my participants’ first impression to cannabis being clouded by intimidation, confusion, and the reinforcement of the idea that they were doing something wrong. While dispensaries spend a significant amount of money curating the most approachable and comfortable environment on the retail floor, this focus does not often extend to the front-door security desk.
I can recall a moment during one of my early trials, where a participant walked right past the security desk and tried to open the locked door to the retail floor. The moment his hand touched the door handle, the security guard impatiently and coldly corrected him. I felt like this was a fair mistake; there were no signs instructing customers where to stop or how to proceed. Not to mention, the door was locked, there was no reason to correct him so forcefully. From that moment on, this participant was fully closed off and completely adverse to interacting with the dispensary experience. This Baby Boomer went from telling me he was interested in purchasing products, to sharing that he would likely not ready to consider cannabis, in a single interaction.
While there are many dispensaries in Massachusetts that do a wonderful job with their security process, the experience I just shared happened repeatedly throughout my trials. It does not matter how much a dispensary invests in education and interior design if Baby Boomers can’t even get through the doors.
“I was not expecting such strict security. I felt like I had to know some secret password or handshake to get in. It made me feel like I was doing something wrong for being there, even though I knew Cannabis is legal. I wish someone had explained the process to me beforehand, so I could have felt more comfortable and less like a fish out of water.”
Figure 1: Clear Security Instructions
2. Comfort comes from transparency
For many of my participants who have had experiences with cannabis in their youth, there was a shared concept of the purchasing experience: it was an unknown substance dealt in an unlabeled bag from an unknown source. Understanding this viewpoint, it was unsurprising that the more transparent a cannabis brand was, the more positively my participants responded to it. Above anything else, my Baby Boomer participants wanted to know exactly what was in each product, where it came from, and who produced it. The brands that communicated these messages clearly were the only ones actually purchased by Baby Boomers during my trials.
A particular instance that comes to mind occurred during a visit to a craft dispensary in Northern Massachusetts; I noticed that the Baby Boomers were drawn to a particular product that had a pamphlet with the company’s founders included in the display. It was apparent that seeing the face behind the company bred a sense of trust. The product had been humanized. It became clear that they were no longer buying a mystery product from a mystery source, but rather a professionally grown, lab-tested, safe product.
“I think it would help me if dispensaries shared more information about the products. I want to know where the cannabis is from and what kind of testing it undergoes . I would want to feel confident that I’m buying a safe and high-quality product.”
Figure 2: Retail Menu Optimized for Baby Boomers
Figure 3: RX Bar - Example of ingredient transparency
3. Baby Boomers fear losing control
Before each dispensary visit, I sat down with my group of Baby Boomers to discuss their expectations and current views on cannabis. While the vast majority of my participants were in support of the legalization of cannabis, and even had a positive outlook upon the benefits some of their friends and family members experienced, they were overwhelmingly apprehensive about their own cannabis consumption. Yet, this hesitation did not get in the way of their curiosity and passive consideration. The most significant barrier amongst the 45 participants was their fear of getting too high and losing control. This fear was more prevalent than the fear of social stigma, legal concerns, and health concerns from possible side effects—all of which were additional concerns amongst the group.
“I’m scared I’m going to get too high. Since I’ve never tried a gummy before, I have no clue how it will affect me. ”
4. The power of sales associates with shared experiences
“While I’m not saying age necessarily determine someone’s knowledge or competency, I do feel these younger employees can’t to relate to me and understand the reassurances I need to feel comfortable trying cannabis. They don’t have the same life experiences or health concerns. ”
The above quote truly says it all. The Baby Boomer cannabis consumer has little-to-no representation on the retail floor. Throughout all of my trials, it was evident that this was a big issue when it came to connecting with an older consumer. My participants expressed to me their discomforts disclosing their health conditions and concerns, inability to feel understood while expressing their fears, and lack of connection with the dispensary employees. As a result, they felt less trustful of the dispensary, and that their questions and concerns were not resolved.
5. Slow the pace & give them space
After my Baby Boomers visited the dispensary, we sat down together to debrief their experience. They shared how overwhelming it was to be able purchase a substance that has been illegal for the vast majority of their lives. They like everything was happening so quickly, and before they knew it, the sales associate was asking them what they wanted to order.
“It was surreal… I felt very rushed to make a decision. It’s just not a quick process for me.”
In addition to my Baby Boomers being uncomfortable with the quick pace expected of them at the dispensary, they felt pressured to buy something. I made it clear to my participants that I was not encouraging them to purchase any cannabis products, as I was simply interested in their experience going to their first dispensary. However, there were still Baby Boomers who came out of their dispensary experience having felt pressure from the sales associate to make a decision in that very moment. In those who expressed this feeling, observed an increased apprehension to trying cannabis in the future.
Edited by Arielle Greenspan
