When people think about growing cannabis at home, they often picture a dark closet or basement rigged with purple-hued black lights: A covert cultivation hidden from prying eyes.
In reality, that’s far from the case. With 24 states and the District of Columbia now allowing private citizens to grow at home (with limits), more Americans than ever before are cultivating in plain sight. In fact, 66% of home growers say they feel more confident and empowered to grow openly now that America has relaxed its legal stance on cannabis.
These insights come from a new national survey of nearly a thousand self-identified home growers conducted by Stripe Theory on behalf of I Love Growing Marijuana (ILGM), a cannabis seed bank and educational resource.
While home growing is on the rise, the readily available tools for novice cultivators haven’t kept pace, compelling DIYers to turn to each other for recommendations, information and advice. Almost half of respondents—48%—say the home growing community has been essential to their practice, both for learning purposes and finding a sense of belonging.
Key findings from the survey suggest that the profile of home growers is evolving, and they’re ready to emerge from the shadows into the light.
Home Growers Aren’t Who You Think
A whopping 61% of home growers who responded to the survey were women. This finding is further supported by research indicating that women are outpacing men in cannabis consumption in America. According to NIDA, women aged 19 to 30 surpassed men of the same age for the first time in 2023.
Home Growing Promotes Self Sufficiency
The survey found that respondents believe home growing can provide a variety of benefits, including:
- 57% of respondents agreed home growing empowers people to take control of their health and wellness.
- 38% of home growers agreed that learning to cultivate gives them a sense of self-sufficiency and control.
- 35% of respondents said they cultivate at home to dictate the strain selections and quality of their cannabis.
Home Growing Found to be Therapeutic
While many people grow and consume cannabis for medicinal purposes, it seems that the practice of home cultivation can be as soothing as the effects of the plant itself. Forty-one percent of respondents describe home growing as a “therapeutic and stress-relieving activity,” suggesting that home growing is much more than a hobby, but a form of self-care.
With some basic resources and a like-minded community to lean on, growing at home isn’t as hard as it sounds. Forty-four percent of home growers believe the biggest misperception about home growing is that it’s difficult and requires advanced skills. Their biggest challenges? Managing male plants from regular seeds (32%), unexpected growth characteristics (24%) and germination issues (23%).
Other notable findings from the study include:
- 60% strongly identify with the cannabis community and culture.
- 59% frequently experiment to optimize their growth and yield.
- 51% prefer growing cannabis outdoors in a garden or greenhouse.
- 46% believe organic and regenerative practices will become mainstream in the next five years.
- 25% agree that more favorable regulations have reduced the stigma around home growing.
“It’s inspiring to see people from all walks of life embracing home growing,” said Ernst Rustenhoven, CEO of ILGM. “The practice of cultivating your own cannabis allows people to dismantle outdated stereotypes, increase self-sufficiency, take control of their health and build community with likeminded individuals. ILGM is here to support everyone on their unique home growing journey, while ensuring they’re fully equipped with the resources, knowledge, and confidence to succeed.”
