Cannabis drinks are seeing an increased demand and appeal to an audience that wants to drink less alcohol but is reluctant to “sit around and smoke a joint,” according to some of the companies producing, selling or distributing these hemp-derived beverages, reported the Washington Post.
Brightfield Group, a market research firm that reports on the cannabis industry, estimated that hemp-derived cannabis beverages brought in $382 million in sales last year and that U.S. sales will grow to nearly $750 million by 2029.
Cann, a THC-infused beverage brand, told the Post its online sales for the first 21 days of January were up 96% compared with the same period last year.
“In certain parts of the United States, seltzers and sodas can include a dose of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the cannabis compound known for producing the psychoactive high. … But a can of cannabis isn’t analogous to a glass of beer or wine, experts said. And the same amount of cannabis can affect two people differently,” wrote the Post.
According to the Post, the growth in demand is, in part, because THC you can drink is a novelty for the adult beverage market. “It’s the soccer mom. It’s not that they’re anti-alcohol. But they like that they can have this, they get a buzz from it, and they don’t wake up the next day with a headache,” Jon Halper, who owns 15 liquor stores around the Twin Cities in Minnesota, told the Post.
Last month, DoorDash began to offer “hemp-derived THC and CBD products for on-demand delivery in select states, giving customers of legal age more products to enjoy.”
“With the growing demand for hemp-derived THC and CBD products, we’re excited to expand access to a wide selection of products consumers crave,” said Jacob Morello, director, GM of alcohol and emerging categories at DoorDash. “As preferences evolve, DoorDash can now help eligible customers find new products to safely enjoy while they unwind and recharge in the new year.”