Cannabis Consumption Trends in 2025: What’s Dominating the Market and Why

As the legal cannabis industry evolves in 2025, consumption habits are shifting in interesting ways. While traditional flower remains a strong foundation in many markets, pre-rolls — ready-to-smoke cannabis joints — have emerged as the fastest-growing and most popular consumption method overall this year. Following closely behind are vaporizer products (vapes), which continue to attract a broad range of consumers seeking a more discreet and convenient experience.

Here’s an overview of the leading cannabis consumption trends of 2025, why they’ve become so prominent, and what’s coming next.

According to recent sales and product data observed through 2025, pre-rolled cannabis products have taken the lead as the most popular consumption method in the legal cannabis market. These products combine convenience and familiarity, making them attractive to both seasoned consumers and newcomers. Data suggests that pre-rolls are growing faster than any other category, outpacing even traditional flower and vape products in key metrics like unit sales and year-over-year growth. (Cure8 Cannabis IT Services)

Why Pre-Rolls Are Dominating

There are several reasons behind the meteoric rise of pre-rolls in 2025:

  • Ultimate Convenience: Pre-rolls require no preparation — no grinding, packing, or specialized equipment. For busy consumers, they deliver a ready-to-use experience.
  • Consistent Dosing: Especially with premium pre-rolls and infused varieties, consumers can rely on a standardized experience, making them more approachable than other smokable forms.
  • Premium Options: The rise of infused pre-rolls — cannabis blends enhanced with concentrates or kief — has given the category a boost, appealing to experienced users who want stronger or more refined effects without the hassle of complex products.
  • Impulse Purchases: Retailers highlight pre-rolls at dispensary counters, increasing visibility and point-of-sale purchases.

With billions of units sold by mid-2025 and significant year-over-year growth rates — pre-rolls appear poised to hold their lead throughout the year.

While pre-rolls have captured the spotlight in 2025, vape cartridges and portable vaporizer products remain the second most popular consumption method. Vapes have seen steady growth over the years and continue to be a go-to option for consumers seeking discreet, convenient, and efficient cannabis consumption. (The Flower Shop USA)

What’s Driving Vape Popularity

  • Discretion and Portability: Vape pens and cartridges are easy to carry and share minimal odor, making them appealing for consumers who want to use cannabis on the go. (MJBizDaily)
  • Perceived Smooth Experience: By heating cannabis rather than combusting it, vapes often deliver a “smoother” hit that some consumers find more pleasant.
  • Innovation in Devices: The vaporizer market continues to innovate with temperature controls, smartphone connectivity, and dry-herb options that broaden consumer choice. (Green Society)
  • Broad Demographic Appeal: Vapes attract both younger users and those who prefer non-smokable methods that still provide rapid onset of effects.

Despite regulatory scrutiny in some regions due to historical health concerns, vapes maintain strong market presence and are often a top choice for regular consumers and those transitioning from tobacco vaping.

3. Traditional Flower: Still an Important Base

Although pre-rolls and vapes have surged, traditional flower (loose cannabis buds) continues to hold significant market share and cultural relevance. Market analyses show flower still accounts for a major portion of overall cannabis sales, though its share has slowly declined relative to newer formats.

  • Cultural and Ritual Value: Long-time cannabis users often prefer the traditional ritual of selecting, grinding, and smoking flower.
  • Versatility: Flower can be smoked, vaporized, or used to make homemade edibles, making it one of the most flexible forms of consumption. (Cova Software)
  • Price & Value: In many markets, flower offers robust THC levels at attractive price points, translating to efficient cost per dose for regular users. (Mordor Intelligence)

Despite its enduring strength, market data suggests that flower is no longer the fastest-growing category, as pre-rolls and vapes capture more consumer interest — especially among younger demographics who value convenience and format variety. (Cova Software)

4. Edibles and Other Formats: Growth on the Horizon

Beyond pre-rolls, vapes, and flower, edibles, beverages, and other novel formats (like tinctures or topicals) are gaining traction but trail behind in total consumption volume in 2025. These methods tend to attract specific user segments, such as those seeking smoke-free experiences or microdosed options.

  • Edibles: Gummies, chocolates, and infused foods appeal to users looking for longer-lasting effects and precise dosing. (Budvue Media | Cannabis Digital Signage)
  • Beverages: Cannabis beverages are an emerging category with potential for rapid growth, especially among social and wellness-oriented consumers. (GlobeNewswire)
  • Micro-dosing/Tech-Enabled Inhalation: New devices that allow precise dosing are growing in interest, particularly for medical or wellness use. (Green Society)

These formats are not yet on par with pre-rolls or vapes in 2025, but continued innovation and broader regulatory acceptance could extend their reach further into the mainstream.

The rising dominance of pre-rolls and the sustained popularity of vapes reveal several broader market dynamics:

Consumer Preference for Convenience

Modern consumers — especially younger generations — often choose products that require minimal preparation and offer predictable effects. Pre-rolls and vape cartridges fit this demand perfectly.

Innovation and Retail Strategy

Dispensaries and brands increasingly tailor their product mix to what sells fastest and attracts the widest range of users. Highlighting pre-rolls and vape products at point-of-sale counters accelerates adoption and fuels category growth.

Diverse Consumption Needs

With multiple formats available, consumers can choose according to their preferred experience, onset speed, discretion, and potency — a trend likely to continue as the industry matures.

In Summary

In 2025, pre-rolls have emerged as the most popular cannabis consumption method, driven by convenience, standard dosing, and evolving retail strategies. Vapes remain a strong second, offering discretion and modern appeal, while traditional flower continues to serve as an important foundation in the market. Edibles and other formats grow steadily in niche segments, poised for even greater adoption in the coming years.