It is incredible how quickly the conversations around alcohol consumption and the fact that it is not great for you have come to the forefront.
The natural wine revelation might have been the beginning. At the same time, we saw the surge of IPAs and non-alcoholic drinks. Now, we are seeing a rise in THC and CBD drinks. As we all know, people are drinking less alcohol, everyone is drinking natural wines, and THC/CBD drinks are everywhere (Hemp-based, too, but that is another story). Gotham does not sell hemp drinks that can be sold anywhere and can be shipped across state lines, we buy drinks from the NY producers.
Last week, the Surgeon General called for alcohol bottles to require a label warning of cancer risk. Needless to say, that idea fell flat on Congress’s ears. Alcohol lobbyists and their companies wield a heavy stick. However, it doesn’t bode well for any of us when the Surgeon General has brought full acknowledgment of the evils of alcohol to the top. Alcohol is the third-leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S., after tobacco and obesity, at least pharma still has obesity.
Cannabis, on the other hand, is looking really good; for instance, CBD curbs alcohol cravings. The problem is that the cannabis industry isn’t robust enough to create the deep pockets needed to play in government, so the government is taking its sweet time while they try to bob and weave, attempting to understand the landscape.
I can barely unwrap my head around the whole thing. I know that the data rising to the top is good for our health and will replace pharma and alcohol at some level. Where this all goes is anybody’s guess, but always remember that the consumer always wins, and cannabis does not need to be ruled by pharma and alcohol. Let a new industry rise and listen to the people.
