Drivon Consulting’s Post

Conventional wisdom may label the #cannabisbeverage sector as a passing fad due to its small market share. However, entrepreneurial insight suggests that #Cannabis #beverages will emerge as a dominant sector among cannabis products in the near future. The true perspective lies not in pessimism or optimism but in a deeper understanding of evolving markets and the factual data that is becoming apparent. The fact of the matter is that recreational dispensaries and the distribution model within these recreational cannabis states are not set up for the proper delivery and handling of cannabis beverages. With the segue of the hemp market allowing cannabis beverages to sit alongside alcohol, the acceptance/embracement of the players in that industry, and the availability for cannabis beverage brands to position themselves on a national level and create this footprint ahead of federal legalization, is monumental. Cannabis is and has always been a commodity; just like sugar and flavoring that go into these drinks. The value is created in the brand, its story, and the culture it creates and resonates with the audience. #DrinkMJ 🍻 ¡Salud! 👭🏽🇲🇽🇺🇸💨 #CPGMentality

80% of the products sold in dispensary are “high dose”. pre-rolls average 150-200mg of thc - 50% of sales. vapes and concentrates are 800-1000mg or more and are 30% of sales. Low dose ingestibles - below 5/10mg that are comparable to a beer or glass of wine should be available where consenting adults 21+ have access. The states need to regulate, enforce and tax low dose hemp derived products and create fully functional markets where they can protect consumers and raise tax revenue - just like the states do for alcohol and tobacco. Wothoit a regulatory framework - bad actors will exist - it’s time for the state legislatures to enact common sense legislation this session. Kicking the can down the road is irresponsible to the citizens they serve

You quickly learn that mentioning you work in cannabis is a highly effective conversation starter. Recently, at dinner with a local brewery owner and brewmaster, we discussed the potential impact of increased cannabis access on the craft beer market, even though recreational cannabis is not yet legal in TX. He posed a thought-provoking question: Could the next two decades mirror the craft beer revolution, but with cannabis? Data from Canada, where recreational cannabis is legal, suggests this shift might be underway, impacting tax revenue generated from alcohol sales. This raises an important question: with potential market changes, will we see increased taxes on cannabis consumers, retailers, and manufacturers to compensate for potential revenue losses in other industries? How can we safeguard these small businesses? Food for thought this Tuesday morning. #cannabisbusiness #cannabis https://lnkd.in/g9u3EFM9?

About half of Americans now live in a state where recreational cannabis is legal — and the market for cannabis is growing exponentially. So who’s buying cannabis-infused drinks? I got the scoop on that — and the legalities around THC-infused drinks — from Diana Eberlein, president of the Cannabis Beverage Association (CBA), a non-profit trade association established to represent and advocate on behalf of THC and CBD beverage brands. In the latest episode of the Business of Drinks podcast, Diana walks us through the regulatory landscape of THC drink, as well as the lobbying efforts underway to expand access to these beverages. And as to the audience question: Turns out, it’s largely Millennials and Gen Zs, with older consumers mixed in.   We know that marijuana use is displacing alcohol among younger audiences. From 2015 to 2022, the percent of US adults aged 18 to 25 who reported they had used any alcohol in the past month dropped by 8 percentage points to about 50% of those surveyed. Over the same time period, that group’s use of marijuana shot up by 6 percentage points, to about 25% of those surveyed, per the National Survey on Drug Use and Health. It appears — looking at the data, and speaking with executives from cannabis drinks companies — that these consumers are NOT going sober. Rather, declines in alcohol are somewhat proportional to gains in cannabis use. In this episode, we cover: > The appeal of cannabis-infused beverages for consumers looking to cut back on alcohol.   > The difference between hemp-derived Delta 9 THC drinks and traditional cannabis. > Where THC drinks are legal in states across the country (and where they’re available in bars and restaurants!). > CBA’s 2024 education and lobbying efforts on Capitol Hill. > The emulsion technology behind making fast-acting THC drinks. > Predictions for the future of the cannabis drinks business (spoiler: big things are coming). And that’s just the beginning. Give a listen for more: https://lnkd.in/eGHwGnyb #cannabisbusiness #cannabisindustry #drinksindustry #drinksbusiness #alcoholicbeverages #alcoholindustry

More than half of Americans live in states where recreational cannabis is legal. While alcohol remains the most-used drug in the US, daily cannabis use has actually outpaced daily drinking, according to a study following four decades of consumption trends. Changing drinking habits and new products likely play a role. We keep our eye on these trends so we can help guide your beverage company as the industry landscape changes. https://hubs.la/Q02HgGm20

As legislation around cannabis and hemp loosens, cannabis beverages are rising in popularity. Consumers are drawn to their potential health benefits and discreet alternative to smoking or vaping. For beverage innovators expanding into this exciting new market sector, there are ingredient and process considerations to keep in mind when developing a cannabis drink.

There is a ton of buzz (pun intended) in the cannabis/hemp beverage space right now, but not enough quality content about it. With important legal decisions on the horizon and many rapid changes occurring, there needs to be content that is backed by strong evidence, research, and a genuine passion for the product and the plant. Today, I am releasing my first article for Spill The T (HC), a cannabis beverage-focused newsletter and an extension of the mission of Drink Hemp. With this, I hope to better inform operators, investors, consumers, media, legislators, and others interested in learning more about this space. There is so much to discuss and not much quality coverage out there yet. To start, I will publish one in-depth article bi-weekly, and ramp up from there. I want to focus on both good qualitative and quantitative content so I can provide valuable information to readers. On the qualitative side: I plan to interview as many industry insiders/operators as possible (on a range of topics) to make sure I am getting the most relevant and accurate information possible. On the quantitative side: I am in talks with a group that can obtain limited sales data, so we can start to paint a picture of volume and consumer purchasing habits. If you are interested in this, please subscribe (it’s FREE)! Apologies ahead of time for any typos or things I get wrong along the way. #hempbeverage #cannabisbeverage

In case you missed it, here are a few key provisions of the CT cannabis and hemp laws that went into effect on October 1: - The new definition of High-THC Hemp went into effect on 10/1, rendering all hemp-derived compounds and products with total THC greater than 1mg/serving and 5mg/container “cannabis” under CT law, which can only be manufactured, packaged, and sold with a cannabis license - The manufacture of Infused Beverages – defined as any hemp-derived non-alcoholic beverage with up to 3mg of Total THC per container – requires a specific license from DCP, or written permission from DCP for existing licensed cannabis manufacturers - Each lot of Infused Beverages must be tested by a licensed cannabis testing laboratory and must meet all testing standards before sale - Infused Beverages may only be sold at cannabis retail establishments and permitted package stores; Infused Beverage manufacturers may sell only to cannabis retail establishments and beer wholesalers - Cannabis retailers and beer wholesalers must verify that each shipment of Infused Beverages complies with marketing restrictions, and must also verify compliance with DCP Policies & Procedures for manufacture of Infused Beverages if such beverages were manufactured outside of CT #CannabisLaw #CannaBizCT #ShipmanCannabisTeam

After a month now in California, one thing I’ve picked up on is the level of detail on the packaging of the cannabis products here. Going into things that I’ll be honest, I wouldn’t have even considered looking for when choosing to buy some flowers, the percentage of Trans-Caryophyllene contained for instance. This got me thinking about the differences in the cannabis industry between Europe and the USA. It’s not just California exclusively that has this level of detail either. Looking at the Spanish model of associations, clubs rarely give out THC levels of their products, let alone statistics on the total sum of cannabinoids, CBD ratings etc, you’d be very lucky to see a terpene break down. Whilst seed companies in Europe are detailed about their genetics and rightly so, this information is rarely available when you are browsing for the end product that you are about to consume. Sometimes you might know which genetics have been used, if it’s organic, or possibly the THC level if you’re lucky. As Europe, specifically Germany moves towards a more health lead approach, with clear laws regarding associations and the products that can be sold there (I’m thinking similar to the beer purity laws here) there’s an opportunity to change how things are done. Especially when compared to the grey areas of Spanish law that cannabis clubs have to work within. Given that the German government are setting specific guidelines with the new legislation, it would be interesting to see if this leads to an increase in the level of information available of the products to choose from? At least in Spain, I don’t think basic testing on the flowers that are available in your club is that revolutionary. It’s even quite common to come across people with fairly accurate hand held (for their size!) readers at trade shows. I feel that cannabis associations in Europe could offer so much more value to their members, in advertising their products more accurately. Doing a google search at the POS on new strains that are available, has quickly developed into something of a new habit! Even the most basic of testing of the products, as you would expect done in dispensaries in the states would go a long way in Europe, instead of remaining to just describing it vocally. My 2cents anyway.

Following an incident in Halifax where several students under the age of twelve were taken to hospital after eating cannabis edibles, a new media report confirms the edibles were not legal. An article from the Canadian Press shows a picture of what is clearly an edible from the illicit market, but the article itself fails to clearly note the distinction between legal and illegal edibles and how they are packaged and sold, or the THC content of those products. This is an ongoing issue, with researchers, academics, and the media still seemingly unaware of how widespread these illicit, unregulated edibles are, packaged to mimic traditional candy and snack foods like Nerds, Doritos, Oreos, Skittles and many more. Despite the image shown in the article showing a package of “Nerd Bites” advertising 1,000 mg of THC, with each “bite” containing 200 mg of THC, the article itself does very little to clearly communicate that these are not products from Canada’s legal cannabis industry. Legal cannabis edible products cannot be packaged in such a way, do not resemble regular candies like Nerds, and can only come with 10 mg of THC per package, not 1,000 mg. Read the entire article here: https://lnkd.in/g7KTsgg7 #Cannabis #CannabisIndustry #CannabisCommunity #HalifaxNS