ALEXANDRIA, Va.—The stigma against cannabis use is fading, causing demand for luxury smoking accessories to increase, according to Bloomberg. From designer bongs at $800 each to $600 lighters, upscale products are growing in popularity as cannabis consumers show off their smoking paraphernalia like it’s fine art.
“For a very long time, the only choice that a consumer had was inside the stoner meme or the stoner-centric world,” said Nidha Lucky Handa, CEO of cannabis brand Leune, which is backed by NBA stars Carmelo Anthony and John Wall. “Does that describe every consumer? No, not even close.”
Posh versions of virtually every cannabis-related product are available for those shoppers who can afford them. Cannabis consumers are heading to stores like Higher Standards, with flagship locations in New York and Los Angeles. The company has collaborated with décor icon Jonathan Adler, whose products are most frequently showcased in stores like Neiman Marcus. Designer Edie Parker, best known for flashy acrylic handbags found at stores like Saks, has added a selection of upscale cannabis accessories to its New York boutique by the same name and is displaying bongs and bowls next to pricey clutches.
According to Brett Heyman, Edie Parker’s founder, artisanal pipes and glassware have long been available, but displaying them wasn’t a popular idea. “We looked at it as an extension of our home collection,” she said. “We were into this idea that these beautiful accessories would help de-stigmatize and normalize cannabis.”
Mainstream retailers are joining the crowd, with Urban Outfitters showcasing Edie Parker’s grinders, lighters and stash boxes in its “herbal accessories” section.
While it’s still early, investors are showing interest. “Accessories will probably end up being a VC favorite because it doesn’t touch the plant,” said Catharine Dockery, a former Walmart executive who now runs the fund Vice Ventures. “That being said, this is all uncharted area.”
To read more about how the cannabis category is ever growing and changing, be sure to read “The New Frontier” in NACS Magazine.
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