Cannabis-Infused Beverages Don’t Appear to Be A Hit with Consumers
A recent study from the Brightfield Group, a market research company based in Chicago, cannabis-infused beverages have not been as successful as many executives in the industry had hoped. According to Bethany Gomes, the managing director at the Brightfield Group, beverage consumers are not a large part of the overall market. She also added that much of the strategy behind beverage marketing does not come from consumer data but rather from assumptions that are simply proving to be false. Those who work in the retail cannabis space say beverage sales are a struggle. Sales for cannabis-infused drinks were stronger a few years ago when the individual beverages contained more THC. However, many companies have capped the THC limit to 10 mg per can, and sales have suffered as a result.
Study Shows States with Legal Cannabis Access Are Associated with Lower Risk of Vape-Related Lung Injury
Advocates have long argued that marijuana legalization is safer for consumers because of the protection that a regulated market provides. During the 2019 outbreak of lung illness from contaminated cannabis vaping products, research indicated that those purchasing from a legal market were safer and less likely to get sick. A new study from researchers at Johns Hopkins, New York University, and the American Heart Association reached the same conclusion. Their study was published in the journal PLoS ONE and looked at data regarding cannabis vaping, the number of lung injury cases, and marijuana legalization laws in 13 states. The research showed that more individuals report using cannabis vaping products in states with recreational or medical marijuana programs. But, the increased usage didn’t show an increase in the number of cases of vaping-related lung injuries.
California’s Governor Wants His State’s Cannabis Farmers Be Able to “Legally Supply the Rest of the Nation”
California Governor Gavin Newsom has said that he supports federal cannabis legalization in part because he would like to see his state’s marijuana farmers “legally supply the rest of the nation.” Newsom made the comment in a video that was shown at the Oakland International Film Festival in September. The governor is featured in a documentary on the local history of cannabis reform, and activists were given a preview of the film. Newsom acknowledges that the fight for cannabis reform is not over, not only for the state but at the federal level. To prepare for federal cannabis legalization and potential interstate cannabis commerce, Newsom signed legislation that would allow him to enter into agreements with other states that have legal cannabis programs. Interstate commerce could boost California’s legal marijuana market, as its climate is ideal for outdoor cultivation. The governor emphasized that he wants farmers in his state to be able to export cannabis “legally” as, under current law, such activity would be considered illegal drug trafficking.
