Christina Chase knew she wouldn't be able to get her mom to smoke pot with her. It wasn't for lack of trying — Christina had talked openly about her cannabis use in the past with her mother Laura, a 64-year-old Taiwanese immigrant. But smoking was a particularly frightening idea for her mother, who suffers from asthma. To help combat the ailment, Christina's father took up beekeeping in the backyard and collected honey to comfort Laura when her symptoms became particularly severe.
It was 2017, and in November 2016, recreational marijuana was legalized in her home state of California. Christina realized she could insist her father's honey on cannabis, and after some experimentation, her brand Potli was born. Now, Christina has created a line of CBD products and a line of THC products that are designed to meet consumers where they are — like flavor enhancers like infused Sriracha and olive oil, or basic Asian snacks like shrimp chips, ginger gummies, and even fortune cookies. Since its inception, the company has earned more than $1 million in revenue, according to Father Christine.
It was 2017, and in November 2016, recreational marijuana was legalized in her home state of California. Christina realized she could insist her father's honey on cannabis, and after some experimentation, her brand Potli was born. Now, Christina has created a line of CBD products and a line of THC products that are designed to meet consumers where they are — like flavor enhancers like infused Sriracha and olive oil, or basic Asian snacks like shrimp chips, ginger gummies, and even fortune cookies. Since its inception, the company has earned more than $1 million in revenue, according to Father Christine.
«It's not that I don't want to indulge in a brownie, but it's not something I strive for every single day. Our products are something you can build a ritual around. Adding honey to tea is something even the most risk-averse consumers can do. Drizzling a pasta dish with olive oil seems relatively innocuous and even unusual. We wanted to do it in a way that didn't change people's behavior, but improved and enhanced the behavior they were already doing» — Christina said.
Traditionally, «edible products» are often associated with baked goods such as homemade pot brownies, which can be somewhat unpredictable in terms of dosage and quality. In recent years, you may have come across some variety of marmalade candy wrapped in aggressively bright packaging that promises to transport the consumer of its contents to another planet.
These days, however, the THC snack market looks very different — chips, candy, chocolates, smoothie kits and other products designed to get consumers high without smoking a puff — and it's becoming a cornerstone of American recreational and consumer culture.
The methods for consumers to try cannabis have become more creative and more similar to the market that already exists for our other vices (such as caffeine and alcohol). There's Rose Delights, a company that makes edible products with cannabis concentrate from gourmet ingredients like pears d'Anjou and umami plum syrup.
There are torta caprese and torta bianca, designed around images of southern Italy. You can get sea salt and rosemary crackers to liven up a meat plate, or tortilla chips for salsa, as well as cookies, popcorn and marmalade candies in every possible flavor combination.
Traditionally, «edible products» are often associated with baked goods such as homemade pot brownies, which can be somewhat unpredictable in terms of dosage and quality. In recent years, you may have come across some variety of marmalade candy wrapped in aggressively bright packaging that promises to transport the consumer of its contents to another planet.
These days, however, the THC snack market looks very different — chips, candy, chocolates, smoothie kits and other products designed to get consumers high without smoking a puff — and it's becoming a cornerstone of American recreational and consumer culture.
The methods for consumers to try cannabis have become more creative and more similar to the market that already exists for our other vices (such as caffeine and alcohol). There's Rose Delights, a company that makes edible products with cannabis concentrate from gourmet ingredients like pears d'Anjou and umami plum syrup.
There are torta caprese and torta bianca, designed around images of southern Italy. You can get sea salt and rosemary crackers to liven up a meat plate, or tortilla chips for salsa, as well as cookies, popcorn and marmalade candies in every possible flavor combination.
Beverages are a particularly fast-growing category. Take Levia, for example, a brand of infused sparkling water with corny flavor names like «Achieve» and «Dream». There's Vibations, a powdered energy drink mix aimed at athletes and health-conscious people.
A brand of infused lemonade, called simply Good Stuff, decorates its bottles with whimsical animals playing jazz instruments, and there's even a cold brew for those who drink one of the billions of cups of coffee Americans drink each year. And there's no shortage of spirits and alcohol substitutes — think craft cannabis cider; a cocktail mixer called Mxxn, which is pronounced «moon»; and, of course, there's Cann, the leading THC-infused beverage that gives the wellness vibe people crave in all major beverage categories.
Curiosity about cannabis is growing in the United States. 49% of Americans say they have tried cannabis, up from just 30% in 1985. As Luke Winkie reported for The Highlight, the vast majority of Americans agree that cannabis should be legalized for recreational and medical use. During the pandemic, marijuana sales increased significantly in several states as people stuck at home, and sales are expected to reach $45.9 billion by 2025.
According to an ACLU report, despite recreational weed being legal in 18 states and Washington, D.C., more people are arrested for marijuana possession than any other drug. When it comes to marijuana in the U.S., there is an inherent racism: black people are more likely to be arrested and convicted for cannabis possession, and black and brown people have more trouble getting temporary licenses to sell.
Pro-cannabis legislation has also been frequently delayed. In March, it was reported that the path to legalization and decriminalization in America remains shaky. Despite rapid growth in the industry — some 430,000 jobs and growing in the cannabis industry, and one in three Americans lived in a state with legal access to marijuana — it's unclear when marijuana will no longer be classified as an illegal Schedule 1 drug. Many rules are in place from state to state, and despite past promises, the Biden administration doesn't seem too eager to change things.
All of this has created an element of confusion as the market for THC products continues to boom in some areas. While CBD is a cannabinoid that is widely used in the health and wellness world, THC is its more edgy relative and many are wary of its growing presence. It's similar to what happened with tequila and mescal: as soon as one becomes mainstream, the other starts to skyrocket. But there is still an education gap that makes it so that not everyone knows what a particular dosage of THC or CBD even does.
Many consumers don't know what to expect from these products because they are new. The decline in public interest in CBD is likely due, at least in part, to this burnout; CBD has been everywhere, but without real regulation or education, consumers are starting to shy away from it.
THC brands are also limited geographically and in terms of growth — current regulations limit companies to finding consumers exclusively in states like California or Massachusetts, and force them to wait for opportunities to expand nationwide. This creates disparate information from state to state and consumer to consumer, who may not receive clear messages about THC use at all.
There has been a surge of interest, but there are still a lot of limitations in terms of who is bridging that education gap and properly setting expectations for the mass consumer who is not really an industry expert. In markets outside the U.S., she believes this problem doesn't arise as often.
All of this has created an element of confusion as the market for THC products continues to boom in some areas. While CBD is a cannabinoid that is widely used in the health and wellness world, THC is its more edgy relative and many are wary of its growing presence. It's similar to what happened with tequila and mescal: as soon as one becomes mainstream, the other starts to skyrocket. But there is still an education gap that makes it so that not everyone knows what a particular dosage of THC or CBD even does.
Many consumers don't know what to expect from these products because they are new. The decline in public interest in CBD is likely due, at least in part, to this burnout; CBD has been everywhere, but without real regulation or education, consumers are starting to shy away from it.
THC brands are also limited geographically and in terms of growth — current regulations limit companies to finding consumers exclusively in states like California or Massachusetts, and force them to wait for opportunities to expand nationwide. This creates disparate information from state to state and consumer to consumer, who may not receive clear messages about THC use at all.
There has been a surge of interest, but there are still a lot of limitations in terms of who is bridging that education gap and properly setting expectations for the mass consumer who is not really an industry expert. In markets outside the U.S., she believes this problem doesn't arise as often.
Although legislation is trying to catch up with the market, consumers have a personal responsibility to do their research before indulging in THC snacks. Inexperienced users should learn more about cannabinoids, dosage and the effects of different methods of consumption, rather than blindly experimenting with THC and hoping for the best.
This stuff isn't meant to be a transition to another plan. It's just a way to relax without alcohol or anything else. Because honestly, it's so funny how we normalize alcohol consumption and turn it into happy hour, but take a bit of a depressant.
Artet is one of the beverage brands hoping to expand into the United States as restrictions loosen. Founded by cousins Xander Shepherd, Zach Spoler and Max Spoler, the company was born out of their desire to seamlessly incorporate cannabis into typical everyday social moments that mostly revolve around alcohol. They believe that a joint may put some people off in an adult setting, but a cannabis beverage has the potential to have an elegant look.
The flavor profile is a bit complex, but it draws inspiration from the history of these spirits, where it doesn't necessarily have to be for everyone, but the people who love it really like it. In some ways, cannabis is the perfect aperitif. It can open your mind, your mood, your taste. The social aspect of cannabis has been seen as a compressed narrative that the experience of alcohol can be related to, while normalizing cannabis as a legitimate ingredient in mixology.
This stuff isn't meant to be a transition to another plan. It's just a way to relax without alcohol or anything else. Because honestly, it's so funny how we normalize alcohol consumption and turn it into happy hour, but take a bit of a depressant.
Artet is one of the beverage brands hoping to expand into the United States as restrictions loosen. Founded by cousins Xander Shepherd, Zach Spoler and Max Spoler, the company was born out of their desire to seamlessly incorporate cannabis into typical everyday social moments that mostly revolve around alcohol. They believe that a joint may put some people off in an adult setting, but a cannabis beverage has the potential to have an elegant look.
The flavor profile is a bit complex, but it draws inspiration from the history of these spirits, where it doesn't necessarily have to be for everyone, but the people who love it really like it. In some ways, cannabis is the perfect aperitif. It can open your mind, your mood, your taste. The social aspect of cannabis has been seen as a compressed narrative that the experience of alcohol can be related to, while normalizing cannabis as a legitimate ingredient in mixology.
It's probably a lucrative venture: the global cannabis beverage market alone is projected to be worth $2.8 billion by 2025. One day, America may see visions of cannabis-fueled happy hours or boutique health juice shops where you can add THC to your smoothie. liquors like Artet make this future more likely, especially with Instagram-ready, flashy designs that can stand front and center on a bar cart. These herbal drinks can make their viewers look forward-thinking and modern — another chic status signal in a pretty bottle.
Drinks are the most versatile way of socializing there is: «let's have coffee together in the morning, let's have a beer after work, let's have a juice after a workout». We've always believed that cannabis would have a legitimate place in such social behavior. We have a long way to go before we have mass cultural acceptance, but in places like California, we have a lot of people who understand the benefits of using cannabis during cocktails.
Edible cannabis products sometimes get a bad reputation due to the sometimes unpredictable nature of their onset and effects. They can take up to a full hour to take effect, and the effects can be very different depending on the amount of the dose and the user's own tolerance and metabolism. For users under the age of 18, studies show that when exposed to high doses of THC, they may experience adverse symptoms such as lethargy and confusion and, in the worst cases, vomiting, chest pain, breathing difficulties and seizures.
Drinks are the most versatile way of socializing there is: «let's have coffee together in the morning, let's have a beer after work, let's have a juice after a workout». We've always believed that cannabis would have a legitimate place in such social behavior. We have a long way to go before we have mass cultural acceptance, but in places like California, we have a lot of people who understand the benefits of using cannabis during cocktails.
Edible cannabis products sometimes get a bad reputation due to the sometimes unpredictable nature of their onset and effects. They can take up to a full hour to take effect, and the effects can be very different depending on the amount of the dose and the user's own tolerance and metabolism. For users under the age of 18, studies show that when exposed to high doses of THC, they may experience adverse symptoms such as lethargy and confusion and, in the worst cases, vomiting, chest pain, breathing difficulties and seizures.
Arteta and similar companies seem like a natural addition to the bar cart, which perhaps clarifies that it is not intended for children. However, as for other THC snacks, some people worry about the possibility of children accidentally consuming the products. This is a long-standing public health fear, and the lack of consumer education and continued restrictions aren't helping the situation. Major confectionery brands have even sued over lookalikes before. However, widespread claims that pot candy is intentionally handed out on Halloween to poison children have been unfounded for years.
People have had kids and alcohol in their homes for a very long time, and they've been able to create fences to keep kids from trying the forbidden things. It's a parental choice that parents can make in terms of how they create those delineations.
As for safety, food trend analysts, notes that some of these brands have child-proof packaging that is designed to keep children from eating products with THC. In that case, it makes more sense to be concerned about adult consumption. When people say they're just going to have a quick snack, sometimes you mindlessly eat and think, «Damn, I just ate half a bag of chips, right?» How do you teach proper dosage when something makes you feel like a snack?
Experts say that, as with any drug or recreational activity, safety in this new frontier depends on consumer education and responsibility. She would know: Christina's mother, Laura, came to her senses thanks to THC. Now, during allergy season, she likes to mix a serving of honey (containing THC) with a cup of tea.