Making Hemp Choices: Evidence from Vermont

Abstract

Hemp’s reemergence in the United States’ economy presents an opportunity for a new category of sustainable product choice for consumers. This study fills a gap in knowledge about which consumers are currently aware of or choosing hemp products using the theory of choice alternatives and a statistically representative survey from a top ten hemp producing US state. Findings reveal high levels of consumer awareness and consideration of hemp products in general and a smaller evoked/choice set. Cannabidiol products appear most often in our sample’s choice set; we examined these specifically. Other hemp products also appear, including clothing and textile, personal care, building material, and food products. Bivariate logistic regression results show that older respondents are more likely to be in the unaware set for hemp products in general and for cannabidiol products. Politically liberal respondents are more likely to be in the evoked/choice set for hemp products in general and for cannabidiol products. No demographic variables are significantly associated with being in the consideration set for hemp products in general. Younger and more educated respondents are more likely to consider cannabidiol products. As hemp represents a nascent but growing market, this study provides a baseline from which to build understanding of consumer choice alternatives.

Consumer response to hemp: A case study of Vermont residents from 2019 to 2020

“…Remaining demographic characteristics were found to be inconsistent predictors of hemp familiarity and use. These findings support previous research and contribute to the indication that consumer preference for hemp‐based products may be influenced by attitudes and opinions (Kolodinsky et al, 2020). Future research should include information on consumer motivations for purchasing hemp products that go beyond demographic characteristics and reach a sample wider than a single state.…”

“…Independent political orientation was associated with use of hemp CBD oil. These results support findings in a 2019 case study of Vermont residents, and further demonstrate continued political polarization of hemp due to the stigma related to drugs and marijuana (Kolodinsky et al, 2020). Public education on hemp's unique traits and distinction from marijuana may help to build confidence in consumers unwilling to try hemp‐based products due to this false stigma.…”

“…Research on internet searches in the United States reveals a rise in searches for CBD between 2014 and 2018, with search volumes increasing by 160% from 2017 to 2018 (Leas et al, 2019). Kolodinsky et al (2020) find that consumer demand for hemp‐based products in Vermont may extend beyond CBD products, including clothing and personal care products. However, this is the only published, peer‐reviewed literature on consumer behavior toward hemp in Vermont and in the United States more broadly to date.…”

Factors limiting the adoption of hemp as an alternative sustainable material for green building delivery in Ghana

“…Despite the abundance of the literature on sustainability and enormous advocation for the use of such sustainable materials as better alternatives for reducing the adverse effects caused by the production and use of conventional materials in Ghana (Agyekum et al, 2020), there is a lack of studies about the potential use of hemp as a sustainable building material. Though the value of hemp has been questioned and relegated to the background in Ghana over the years, evidence from the body of knowledge worldwide suggests that it is an essential material in the building industry following the numerous properties it possesses (Kolodinsky et al, 2020;S aez-P erez et al, 2020;Agliata et al, 2020). As a matter of fact, following the deliberations on the possible passage of a legal bill in Ghana for the cultivation of industrial and medicinal hemp, it is crucial to seize this opportunity to explore this useful material as an alternative material in the delivery of green buildings which is gaining attention in Ghana.…”

“…), hemp is reported to be an ideal building material because it is environmentally friendly, easy to work with and durable. It is cited as one of the top five most biodiversity-friendly crops and contributes to greenhouse gas reduction (Kolodinsky et al, 2020). Hurds/shivs and fibres obtained through the processing of hemp stem are used in manufacturing bio-composites, concretes and insulation mats in the construction industry because of their good physical, chemical and mechanical properties (Kolodinsky et al, 2020).…”