Weed drinks set up turf war between alcohol and cannabis industries

[babylonsister]

22 hours ago -
Business
Weed drinks set up turf war between alcohol and cannabis industries
April Rubin


THC-infused drinks are popping up more often in the refrigerator section. And yes, they're legal.

Why it matters: A loophole in the 2018 farm bill helped parlay the marijuana drinks market — and government regulators are catching on. Big Alcohol, which has gotten into the market as beer sales plummet, isn't totally pleased.

The drinks on sale at cannabis stores, breweries and alcohol retailers are commonly derived from hemp, which typically contains less than 0.3% of high-inducing ingredient THC.

THC-infused drinks were "inadvertently legalized" through this bill, per Bloomberg, while marijuana-derived THC products face more strict federal regulation.

Alcohol distributors and marijuana companies both want a lucrative stake in the market.

State of play: Internet searches for THC-laced drinks have been at an all-time high in 2024, per Bloomberg.

They've become so mainstream that Bon Appétit and Esquire have recommendation lists for a "happy hour high."

Major retailer Total Wine offers a selection of THC drinks, often between 2.5mg to 10mg.

more...

https://www.axios.com/2024/05/18/weed-drinks-alcohol-cannabis-industry

[dweller]

1. Oh well

✌🏻

[Kid Berwyn]

2. I understand young people are drinking less and toking more.

Legalized cannabis has become an existential problem for Big Booze.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/cannabis-is-eating-into-alcohol-sales-analyst-study-shows-11669991249

Like the great DUer dweller said, “Oh well.”