Key takeaways
In a survey of 1,023 U.S. adults who used THC in the past month, dispensary staff were the most trusted source of cannabis information.
Dispensary staff averaged 3.7 out of 5 on trust, ahead of friends (3.5) and healthcare providers (3.4). Government sources scored 2.9.
For medical use, though, 55% still picked healthcare providers as their most trusted source. Dispensary staff came second at 20%.
The study was funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and published Oct. 22, 2026.
Budtenders carry more weight with customers than many people assume. A new federally funded study found that people who use cannabis trust dispensary staff for cannabis information more than they trust doctors, friends or the government.
The paper, "Trust in healthcare, dispensary, and online information sources about cannabis," was published open access in the journal Drugs: Education, Prevention and Policy on Oct. 22, 2026. Lead author Meredith Meacham is at the University of California San Francisco.
How the dispensary staff trust study worked
Researchers recruited adults through the Prolific online panel and ran the survey in June, July and August 2024. To qualify, people had to be 18 or older, live in the U.S. and have used a THC product in the past month.
Participants rated how much they trusted information about cannabis from seven sources, on a scale from 1 (not at all) to 5 (a great deal). They then picked the single source they'd trust most for three situations.
Source | Average trust (1 to 5) |
|---|---|
Dispensary staff | 3.7 |
Friends | 3.5 |
Healthcare providers | 3.4 |
People in state government | 2.9 |
People in federal government | 2.9 |
People on social media | 2.6 |
Other sellers | 2.6 |
Who customers trust depends on the question
The ranking flips when the question gets medical. Asked who they'd trust most about using cannabis medicinally, 55% picked healthcare providers and 20% picked dispensary staff.
For fun or relaxation, dispensary staff led at 47%, with friends at 37% and healthcare providers at just 4%. For avoiding unwanted effects, dispensary staff again led at 39%, ahead of healthcare providers at 28%.
One finding stands out. People who used cannabis for medical reasons had three times the odds of naming dispensary staff, rather than providers, as their top medical source (adjusted odds ratio 3.00). The authors suggest earlier unhelpful experiences with providers may be one reason.
"…for many who use cannabis, dispensary staff are a more trusted source of information than healthcare providers."
Limits of the study
The authors are clear that this was a non-probability online sample, so it doesn't represent all cannabis users. Answers were self-reported, and the trust questions were written by the researchers rather than taken from a validated scale.
The survey also asked about dispensary staff as people, not about dispensaries as companies or about specific brands. The authors' own recommendation is aimed at medicine: they call for cannabis core competencies and minimum knowledge standards in healthcare provider education.
What this means for operators
Treat training as a trust asset. Customers already lean on your floor staff for information. Make sure what they hear is accurate and consistent.
Draw a clear medical line. Most respondents still want a clinician for medical questions. Give staff a simple way to suggest that a customer talk to their provider.
Check your state's rules. What staff can say about health effects varies by state. Have compliance review any scripts or talking points.
Point people to reliable references. Respondents saw cannabis info far more often on commercial sites like Leafly (39%) and Weedmaps (27%) than on government sites (3% to 8%). Decide which sources your team should rely on.
What this means for cannabis workers
If you work the counter, this study puts numbers on something you probably feel every shift: customers take your word seriously. That's a reason to keep learning about products, dosing labels and side effects your store is allowed to discuss.
It's also a reason to know your limits. When a question is really about a health condition or medication, saying "that's one for your doctor" is part of being trustworthy.
Related on The Weekly Joint: The DEA felony rule and medical cannabis jobs · More Workforce coverage · Browse all issues
Sources
This article is general information, not medical or legal advice.
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