State-by-state, legal cannabis is having a huge impact on this nation. Tax windfalls are flooding state coffers, social programs are getting funded, small business owners are flourishing around growing, producing, and distributing the product, and people are getting high AF without worrying about going to jail. Wins all around. It turns out there’s a big ancillary win for the economy coming from the consumption of legal weed — people get high, get the munchies, and eat. And, after some research, it turns out McDonald’s is the weed connoisseur’s fast food joint of choice.
The Green Market Report and Consumer Research Around Cannabis partnered up to take a look at what they’re calling ‘Cannabis Freakonomics.’ The research groups are studying how legalized cannabis is reshaping our economies across the states that have legal weed. One interesting ripple they’ve found is that cannabis users love McDonald’s. Sorry Taco Bell.
The research looked at 27,500 regular cannabis users and inquired about their munchie habits and which fast food spot they blew up after they blazed. An astounding 43 percent said they hit up Micky-D’s. Taco Bell did take the second place slot with 18 percent of respondents saying they hit the Bell for all their munchie needs. Wendy’s and Burger King basically tied for third with Subway and Kentucky Fried Chicken coming in next on the list. Arby’s, Chick-Fil-A, Jack In The Box, and Carl’s Jr. rounded out the top ten respectively.
Jeff Stein, the VP over at Consumer Research Around Cannabis, said that McDonald’s has one clear advantage over the other fast food outlets and it’s not necessarily the taste of the food. “McDonald’s wins by virtue of the sheer number of locations.” Stein continues that if the other fast food outlets want to catch up to the golden arches they’ll need to get a “better understanding [of] cannabis users and their consumer habits.”
There’s also the fact that maybe McDonald’s just tastes better when we’re high. Afterall, THC affects the brain’s endocannabinoid system, which makes us crave food and enhances our enjoyment of what we’re eating by literally making food taste better. Either way, we’re sure McDonald’s isn’t complaining about the uptick in customers.
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