Typically, anonymous profiles by men have been the hallmark of illicit marijuana markets. However, that is changing. Women are increasingly becoming influencers promoting the use of marijuana via lifestyle Instagram posts.
“Influencers’ role in transforming cannabis culture to become more mainstream and acceptable for women could potentially effect cannabis cultures globally, as well as ongoing legalization debates,” the researchers wrote. “When cannabis is marketed by legal influencers rather than illegal dealers, we find a shift in the use of symbols related to amateurism versus professionalism, intimacy and lifestyle and argue that these changes are bound up with how the influencers do gender differently than sellers.”