Study · Swiss CBD Barometer 2026
Why people take CBD: what 285 customers reveal (Swiss CBD Barometer 2026)
Sleep, stress, enjoyment, the wish to cut down on cannabis: we analysed 967 answers from our customers to understand what they really use CBD for, by product and by country.
In brief
Between May 2023 and October 2026, 285 Swiss CBD customers told us why they used their product, in 967 verified reviews. Sleep (51%) and stress or anxiety (51%) come first, ahead of recreational use (33%), cutting down on cannabis (28%) and pain (23%).
CBD is rarely used for just one thing: 62% of customers give several reasons, and only 9% use it purely for enjoyment. Oil buyers mainly mention pain and sleep, while flower and resin buyers more often combine wellbeing and enjoyment.
Studies on CBD measure what the molecule does in the laboratory or in clinical trials. They rarely say why people buy it. To answer that question, we have a source few players have: since 2023, every customer who leaves a review can tell us what they use their product for.
This barometer presents those answers without embellishing them. It describes stated motivations, not effectiveness: knowing that half of our customers take CBD to sleep better does not tell us whether CBD improves sleep. That is why each reason is followed by what the research actually shows.
01Key figures
To the question "Why did you choose this product?", with several answers possible, here is the share of the 285 customers who gave each reason:
Base: 285 customers, 967 verified reviews, May 2023 to October 2026. Each customer counts once. The total exceeds 100% because several answers were possible.
| Reason given | Share of customers | What the answer covers |
|---|---|---|
| Sleep | 51% | "Better sleep" |
| Stress or anxiety | 51% | "Reducing anxiety" (38%) or "Managing stress" (35%) |
| Recreational | 33% | "Recreational" |
| Cutting down on cannabis | 28% | "Cannabis withdrawal" |
| Pain | 23% | "Reducing pain" |
| Concentration | 9% | "Better concentration" or "Concentration" |
| Cutting down on alcohol | 1% | "Alcohol withdrawal" |
| Other | 4% | "Other" answer |
With 285 customers, the margin of uncertainty on these percentages is about 6 points. Sleep and stress are therefore tied, and well ahead of every other reason.
02Rarely a single reason
The first lesson of this barometer is that CBD is almost never bought for just one reason.
- 62% of customers give several reasons, slightly more than two on average.
- The most frequent combinations are stress with anxiety, then anxiety with sleep. Sleep then appears alongside almost every other reason, including recreational use.
- Only 9% of customers use CBD purely for enjoyment. Conversely, 89% give at least one wellbeing-related reason: sleep, stress, anxiety, pain, concentration or cutting down on a substance.
- 24% combine both: they are looking for a moment of enjoyment and a wellbeing benefit at the same time, typically relaxing in the evening in a way that also helps them fall asleep.
This reality fits poorly with the classic split between "recreational" and "wellbeing" use. For most of our customers, the two overlap.
03What our customers say
The figures tell us why. Written reviews tell us how. Here are a few representative excerpts, anonymised and translated from French. They are individual experiences, not evidence of effectiveness.
Sleep"I slept like a log without feeling too groggy when I woke up."
Verified customer, flower, France, 2026
Relaxation"Really deep relaxation! Watch the dose because of the drowsy effect the next day."
Verified customer, resin, France, 2026
Stress"I have been using this oil for several years and I feel calmer. A few drops in the morning and I get through the day in great shape."
Verified customer, oil, France, 2025
Cutting down cannabis"Works really well and effective for starting a cannabis withdrawal."
Verified customer, flower, France, 2026
Enjoyment"Subtle smell and taste that strongly remind me of my first experiences, but without the spaced-out side of THC."
Verified customer, flower, Switzerland, 2025
Pain"Not much effect on my lower back pain. Good for sleep."
Verified customer, oil, France, 2025
The last review matters as much as the others: not everyone finds what they are looking for, and the same product can help with one thing and not another.
04Flowers, resins, oils: different uses
Reasons vary clearly depending on the type of product bought.
| Reason | Flowers (220 customers) | Resins and pollens (87 customers) | Oils (27 customers) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep | 55% | 45% | 56% |
| Stress or anxiety | 53% | 44% | 52% |
| Recreational | 37% | 36% | 10% |
| Cutting down on cannabis | 32% | 28% | 0% |
| Pain | 19% | 20% | 62% |
The same customer may appear in several columns if they bought several types of product. Vapes and other formats do not have enough respondents to be shown separately.
- Flowers and resins have a similar profile: sleep and stress dominate, but a third of customers combine them with recreational use, and nearly a third are looking to cut down on cannabis. That makes sense: these are the formats closest to conventional cannabis.
- Oils stand out. Pain becomes the top reason (62%), recreational use is rare (10%) and no one mentions them for cutting down on cannabis. Note, however, that this result is based on only 27 customers. It is a clear trend, but not yet a solid figure.
To choose a format for your goal, see our dosage guide and our article on choosing an oil concentration.
05France and Switzerland
Most of our respondents live in France (183 customers) and some in Switzerland (49 customers), the country being determined by the location of the review.
| Reason | France (183 customers) | Switzerland (49 customers) |
|---|---|---|
| Sleep | 51% | 50% |
| Stress or anxiety | 51% | 49% |
| Recreational | 34% | 26% |
| Cutting down on cannabis | 28% | 15% |
| Pain | 24% | 29% |
Sleep and stress carry the same weight on both sides of the border. The most marked difference concerns cutting down on cannabis: it is mentioned by 28% of French customers, compared with 15% of Swiss customers. Our data cannot explain why, and the Swiss sample remains small. We will follow this gap in future editions.
06What other surveys show
Our results are in line with those of independent surveys carried out in Europe.
In France, 1,166 CBD users surveyed
In a survey published in 2021, 1,166 CBD users, 98% of them living in France, gave their main reason. Wellbeing came first (27%), ahead of treating an illness or reducing its symptoms (25%), cutting down on tobacco or another substance (12%) and difficulty obtaining illegal cannabis (9%). Among those who took it for wellbeing, 63% expected less stress and 60% better sleep (Fortin et al., Journal of Cannabis Research, 2021).
In the United Kingdom, 387 users
A British survey of 387 CBD users found anxiety, sleep problems, stress and general wellbeing at the top (Moltke and Hindocha, Journal of Cannabis Research, 2021).
Full references at the end of the article.The methods differ: these surveys cover CBD users in general, ours covers the customers of one shop. But the top three are the same everywhere: stress, anxiety and sleep.
07What the science says, reason by reason
A frequent reason does not prove that CBD works for it. Here is the state of knowledge, in brief.
Sleep
A systematic review of 34 studies concludes that CBD, alone or combined with an equal amount of THC, may help relieve the symptoms of insomnia, but that specific studies in people with insomnia are still needed before any firm conclusion (Ranum et al., 2023). See our CBD and sleep selection.
Stress and anxiety
This is the best-studied area. Several trials suggest an effect on social anxiety, with more mixed results for other forms of anxiety (O'Sullivan et al., 2023). We go through these studies in our article CBD, anxiety and stress.
Cutting down on cannabis
A randomised placebo-controlled trial in 82 people wanting to quit cannabis showed that 400 or 800 mg of CBD a day was associated with lower use and more days of abstinence (Freeman et al., Lancet Psychiatry, 2020). These doses are far higher than what normal use of flowers or oil provides. See our article CBD and cannabis withdrawal.
Pain
The evidence is weakest here. The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) does not endorse the general use of cannabinoids for pain, owing to a lack of high-quality research (IASP, 2021). If you are on treatment, see our page CBD and medication and talk to your doctor.
For an overview, see our article what clinical studies really show.
08Methodology and limitations
Methodology sheet
- Source: verified reviews left on swisscbd.co after a purchase, through our customer review system.
- Period: from 17 May 2023 to 15 October 2026.
- Question asked: "Why did you choose this flower?" or "For what reason(s) do you use this product?", depending on the form version, with several answers possible. The forms were in French.
- Answers offered: better sleep, reducing anxiety, managing stress, recreational, cannabis withdrawal, reducing pain, better concentration, and depending on the version, alcohol withdrawal and other.
- Base: 967 reviews from 285 customers, on products containing CBD. Accessories, tobacco substitutes and pet oil are excluded (26 reviews), as are reviews flagged as spam.
- Calculation: each customer counts once. For a customer who left several reviews, each reason is weighted by the share of their reviews that mention it.
Why count by customer rather than by review
Our most loyal customers leave a lot of reviews: 58 customers alone wrote 591 of the 967 reviews. They mention recreational use far more often (47%) than other customers (30%). Counting every review would therefore have overestimated the place of enjoyment. By giving each customer the same weight, the barometer better reflects our customer base as a whole.
Limitations to keep in mind
- These are stated motivations, not measured results. They prove no effect.
- Only customers who leave a review respond. They are often satisfied, regular customers.
- These are the customers of a single shop, mostly flower and resin enthusiasts, which does not represent all CBD users.
- The answers offered steer the choices. A reason missing from the list could only be given through "Other", where that option existed.
- Some subgroups are small, notably oils (27 customers) and Switzerland (49 customers).
09What we now measure
Since September 2026, our review forms have been expanded. Customers can now mention relaxation, taste, discovery, value for money, cutting down on tobacco or nicotine, and describe how each product made them feel.
These new answers are not yet numerous enough to publish: only 44 customers so far. They will be included in the next update of this barometer, planned for spring 2027. This article is our reference page on the subject and will be updated as the data builds up.
10Frequently asked questions
Why do people take CBD?
According to our barometer of 285 customers, the top two reasons are sleep and stress or anxiety, each mentioned by 51% of customers. They are followed by recreational use (33%), cutting down on cannabis (28%) and pain (23%).
Is CBD mainly used recreationally?
No. A third of our customers mention recreational use, but only 9% use it purely for enjoyment. 89% give at least one wellbeing-related reason, often in addition to enjoyment.
Why use a CBD oil rather than a flower?
In our data, oil buyers mainly mention pain (62%) and sleep (56%), and rarely enjoyment (10%). Flower buyers more often combine wellbeing and recreational use. This result for oils is based on a small number of customers and needs to be confirmed.
Does CBD really help you sleep?
The available studies are encouraging but not yet sufficient to draw conclusions. A review of 34 studies suggests a possible benefit on insomnia symptoms and calls for more targeted trials. Half of our customers take it for sleep, which describes an expectation, not proof.
Can CBD be used to cut down on cannabis?
28% of our customers mention this reason. A clinical trial showed encouraging results, but at doses of 400 to 800 mg of CBD a day, well beyond normal use. Medical support is still recommended in case of dependence.
How were these figures obtained?
From 967 verified reviews left by 285 customers between May 2023 and October 2026, in response to a multiple-choice question about why they bought the product. Each customer counts once. The full methodology is detailed in section 08.
When will this barometer be updated?
The next edition is planned for spring 2027. It will include the answers from our new, more detailed review forms.
Cite this study
Swiss CBD, Barometer of reasons for using CBD 2026, data from 285 customers (May 2023 to October 2026), published on 10 November 2026, swisscbd.co/en/blogs/infos/pourquoi-prendre-du-cbd-barometre-clients
The figures in this barometer may be reused freely, with a link to this page.
Not sure which product to choose?
Tell us what you are looking for: we will point you to the right format and concentration.
Contact our customer serviceSources
- Swiss CBD. Verified customer reviews, answers to the question on reasons for use, May 2023 to October 2026. Proprietary data, internal analysis. View the reviews
- Fortin D, Di Beo V, Massin S, Bisiou Y, Carrieri P, Barré T. Reasons for using cannabidiol: a cross-sectional study of French cannabidiol users. Journal of Cannabis Research, 2021;3:46. Read the study
- Moltke J, Hindocha C. Reasons for cannabidiol use: a cross-sectional study of CBD users, focusing on self-perceived stress, anxiety, and sleep problems. Journal of Cannabis Research, 2021;3:5. Read the study
- Ranum RM, Whipple MO, Croghan I, Bauer B, Toussaint LL, Vincent A. Use of cannabidiol in the management of insomnia: a systematic review. Cannabis and Cannabinoid Research, 2023;8(2):213-229. Read the abstract
- O'Sullivan SE, Jensen SS, Nikolajsen GN, Bruun HZ, Bhuller R, Hoeng J. The therapeutic potential of purified cannabidiol. Journal of Cannabis Research, 2023;5:21. Read the study
- Freeman TP, Hindocha C, Baio G, et al. Cannabidiol for the treatment of cannabis use disorder: a phase 2a, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomised, adaptive Bayesian trial. The Lancet Psychiatry, 2020. DOI 10.1016/S2215-0366(20)30290-X. Read the press release
- International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP). IASP position statement on the use of cannabinoids to treat pain, March 2021. Read the position statement
This barometer describes our customers' stated motivations. It is not medical advice and demonstrates no therapeutic effect. CBD is not a medicine and is not intended to treat, cure or prevent any disease. Data as of 15 October 2026.
Leave a comment