Nearly three-quarters of cannabis consumers in legal states believe that marijuana sold at licensed dispensaries is free from harmful contaminants. That’s according to a new poll conducted by NuggMD, a cannabis telehealth provider, which sheds fresh light on shifting consumer sentiment in a maturing industry.
The results highlight a growing trust in legal marijuana markets, where regulations and testing standards are helping to distinguish licensed products from those sold illicitly. Still, not everyone is fully convinced—and the data reveals there’s some way to go before full confidence is universal.
Consumers Putting Faith in the Regulated Market
Out of 474 respondents surveyed earlier this month, 73 percent said they had either “high” or “moderate” trust that products purchased from licensed cannabis retailers were free from pesticides, mold, and other contaminants.
It’s a decent signal for the legal market. Regulation, after all, was supposed to bring safety and transparency.
But while the majority of consumers are optimistic about what they’re buying, others are still wary. About 18 percent said their trust was “low.” Another 9 percent said they didn’t trust licensed cannabis at all.
One sentence here.
Interestingly, these numbers haven’t shifted too far from last year, when the same group found that over 80 percent of cannabis users had low or no trust in products sourced from unlicensed sellers.
The Illicit Market Still Lurks in the Background
It’s not hard to see why the legal market has gained traction. There are strict requirements in place for product testing, labelling, and recalls. States with legal cannabis are expected to enforce them.
By contrast, illegal weed comes with zero oversight. No lab tests. No warnings. No guarantees.
That’s a huge gap—and most people know it.
-
In last year’s NuggMD poll, 82% of respondents said they didn’t trust marijuana from the illicit market
-
This year, 73% said they did trust what they bought legally
That’s a meaningful swing in trust levels. But it doesn’t mean all licensed products are problem-free.
There have still been product recalls and enforcement actions in states like California and Michigan, where contaminants slipped through. Sometimes labs fail. Sometimes companies cut corners. But unlike the illicit market, these failures are at least caught and corrected.
Where the Trust Numbers Fall
Here’s a breakdown of the trust levels reported in the March 6–9 survey:
| Trust Level | % of Respondents |
|---|---|
| High Trust | 36% |
| Moderate Trust | 37% |
| Low Trust | 18% |
| No Trust | 9% |
One-sentence paragraph again.
The margin of error in the poll was ±4.5 percentage points. So while the exact figures could vary slightly, the overall message is clear: people are far more confident buying legal weed than street weed.
What This Means for the Industry
From a policy perspective, this is a pretty encouraging sign. It shows that messaging around cannabis safety in the legal market is getting through.
It also underscores the importance of maintaining strong regulatory systems. If consumers feel safe buying from dispensaries, they’re less likely to revert to unregulated sources.
That trust, though, is fragile. It’s based on an assumption that regulators are doing their job and that companies are following the rules.
One high-profile contamination scandal could chip away at that confidence.
Two quick sentences to break it up.
And let’s not forget pricing. Legal weed often costs more than illicit cannabis because of taxes and regulatory costs. Some consumers still make purchasing decisions based on cost—not just safety.
Trust Today, But What About Tomorrow?
The poll shows progress, but not perfection. 27 percent of people still don’t fully trust what they’re buying in legal stores. That’s a decent chunk of the market.
And there’s still debate about how effective state oversight really is. Not all testing labs are created equal. Some have been accused of inflating THC results to boost sales.
Then there’s the issue of consistency. Regulations vary wildly from state to state. What’s considered safe in Colorado might fail tests in Oregon.
But overall, it seems the core idea behind legalization—that a regulated market leads to safer products—is holding up.
Even if it’s not flawless, it’s still safer than the alternative.
