With its rise in popularity, what comes next, and how will it impact each person in the country? Here is the cannabis outlook for 2023.

Legalization of Cannabis Throughout the Country

When discussing cannabis legalization, it’s essential to differentiate between the levels of legal use. Since cannabis use is illegal on the federal level, individual states have their own laws about whether and in which ways cannabis is legal.

One type of legalization is for medical use. This allows people to use cannabis products as a form of medication. State residents usually receive a medical card, similar to a prescription, allowing them to buy cannabis products.

Another type of legalization is for recreational use. This allows adults to use cannabis products without a medical card while following local laws and guidelines for smoking in public areas.

Five states had recreational legalization measures on their ballots in November: North Dakota, South Dakota, Missouri, Arkansas, and Maryland. The push for legalized use is at an all-time high heading into 2023, with 68% of Americans saying they support legalizing marijuana, according to a poll conducted by Gallup.

In a sign of changing attitudes, President Joe Biden granted a federal pardon in October that restored full political, civil, and other rights to any person previously convicted of minor marijuana possession charges, according to the White House. This action may indicate that state-level pardons and federal decriminalization is around the corner.

The Cannabis Industry

The federal legal status and state-by-state patchwork regulations have left many investors wary of cannabis businesses and products. However, as public and legal acceptance grows, many expect the same for the industry. In fact, cannabis data company BDSA projects that cannabis sales will grow from $30 billion in 2021 to $57 billion in 2026, according to a news release.

“Over the next 12 months, I predict that every major institutional investor in the U.S. will make an investment in this industry,” equity company Privateer Holdings co-founder Brendan Kennedy told Yale Insights.

Social Equity

When legalizing cannabis, many states consider the need to reconcile the wrongs done by the War on Drugs, the name for U.S. efforts to combat illegal drug use with harsh penalties.

“Public opinion has shifted dramatically in favor of sensible reforms that expand health-based approaches while reducing the role of criminalization in drug policy,” according to Drug Policy Alliance.

Because the War on Drugs disproportionately affected minority groups, 13 states have created regulations that require some of the money from cannabis sales to benefit those groups, according to the Cannabis Industry Journal. For example, these regulations require assigning a set number of cannabis business licenses to people previously charged with marijuana possession, investing in community programs, offering financial aid, or funding educational efforts.

“The goal of social equity laws is to ensure that people from communities disproportionately harmed by marijuana prohibition and discriminatory law enforcement are included in the new legal marijuana industry,” according to the National Association of Cannabis Businesses. “Policymakers are working to address criticisms that outsiders are setting up legal cannabis businesses and profiting by doing the same things their less fortunate neighbors were arrested and given jailtime for just a few years ago.”

Bank Access

One of the hurdles to growth in the cannabis industry is that federal laws prevent cannabis businesses from using the country’s banking system. However, if legislation passes, it would give legal cannabis businesses banking access.

“Proceeds from a transaction involving activities of a legitimate cannabis-related business are not considered proceeds from unlawful activity,” according to the bill summary.

With growing legal acceptance, expanding investment opportunities, and more changes on the horizon, 2023 is looking to be a positive year for the cannabis industry and the number of people who have access to marijuana products.

The demand for this superior cannabis continues to grow as consumers across the board prefer fresh products such as craft beer and organic food.

These high-end buds are higher in price compared to regular cannabis. However, here’s why paying a little extra for top-notch quality is well worth it.

Hand-Crafted

Each craft cannabis batch requires a small, dedicated team of farmers. Each plant requires individual attention to maintain the plant’s quality. These farmers shape and feed each cannabis plant-based on the strain. As it grows, they focus on maximizing its flower size, total yield, and euphoric effects.

The cannabis farms are a live environment and share a common problem, pests. They can damage crops, but these farmers use proven organic methods to control them.

With their consumers in mind, they emphasize clean and healthy growing techniques. That helps keep the facility clean and avoids the use of pesticides or chemicals.

Craft cannabis offers a choice that guarantees premium quality bud with a flavor difference you can taste compared to mass-produced weed.

Quality comes from farmers who meet the demands of cannabis from start to finish. After it is harvested, the stems and sugars leaves are hand-trimmed from the buds, maintaining the hands-on quality that makes the cannabis decidedly “craft.” In contrast, many major marijuana distributors process commercial weed through machines.

Is it Similar to Craft Beer?

There are many parallels between craft cannabis and craft beer.

Businesses in both industries emphasize that their products are “hand-made.” They also value resource management and practice sustainable methods, which is apparent in their attention to detail in their products, operations, and environmental impact.

Each industry relies on a devoted consumer base as craft businesses typically can’t mass-produce products in the same way major companies do. This makes the relationship between customers and businesses much more important.

That means the businesses typically give a more quality level of care to their products and can adapt to their customers’ evolving tastes, crafting a relationship that’s representative of the industry.

Where Do I Find It?

Finding a craft cannabis business in your area may require some research. Typically, craft cannabis is grown in smaller facilities and sold in local businesses.

Smaller cannabis cultivators, rather than chains, may be the best place to start.

Remember, true craft cannabis is “hand-made” throughout the cultivation cycle, meaning it’s hand-dried, hand-trimmed, and hand-packed.

Crafted cannabis should be rich in terpenes. According to WINK Cannabis, much of what you see on the craft market is cannabis with high terpene percentages, between 2-5%, that looks and smells amazing.

Remember, quality takes time and energy, which can raise costs for consumers. However, craft cannabis is the best cannabis on the market, and you get what you pay for.

As legalization continues to open up more markets, this niche field within the cannabis industry will likely continue to grow. Scope out dispensaries near you and consider making your dollar go further by purchasing top-notch quality.

While there are plenty of options when it comes to edibles, like cookies, chocolates, caramels, and mints, gummies are king. Seattle-based cannabis market intelligence firm Headset predicts that sales of edibles will hit $3 billion in 2022, and nearly three-quarters of those sales (71%) will be gummies.

So, it’s no shocker that gummies dominate a list of the top-reviewed cannabis edibles in the U.S. 

There are currently no actual central marketplaces where people can buy cannabis products and then rate or review them. And with cannabis being an especially fractured market thanks to its federally illegal status and each state having its own rules and product availability, there’s also no national “Amazon” of weed where we can find customer ratings. 

To find the top-reviewed cannabis edibles in the U.S., we looked at the only metric we can: how patients and customers rate cannabis edibles with their dollars. We turned to two intelligence firms plugged into point-of-sale systems nationwide for that data: Headset and Colorado-based intelligence firm BDSA. 

Three companies, two focused solely on cannabis gummies, currently dominate the game, racing to reach as many states as possible. They each offer many options when it comes to flavors and technology. In fact, nearly every slot in the top-selling products in legal states (except Washington) Headset analyzed is taken by some flavor or product made by one of these brands.

And between the three, they cover most of the 19 legal adult-use states and some medical-only ones.

These are the top-rated cannabis edibles across the U.S.

Wyld

This Oregon-based juggernaut is laser-focused on gummies—a product that Forbes calls “The Edible That Devoured America.” Wyld offers traditional flavors like raspberry and strawberry and less-common huckleberry and marionberry. It’s quickly establishing itself as the “it” cannabis edibles brand. 

You can buy Wyld in Oregon, Colorado, California, Arizona, Nevada, Michigan, and Washington.

Kiva

California-based Kiva’s slogan is “Cannabis confections you can count on.” The wide variety of products it sells proves that out. With chocolate bars in flavors like birthday cake and s’mores; mints with names like Tart Cherry and Blackberry CBN; espresso-, blueberry- and peppermint-flavored chocolate “bites;” and a line of chews, there’s bound to be something you’ll like. Oh, and did we mention they also make top-selling gummies?

Kiva is sold in Arizona, California, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, Ohio, and Oklahoma.

Wana Brands

This Colorado-based giant is expanding quickly with its unique lines of gummies. That’s probably why it’s among customers’ top choices, according to Headset and BDSA. Sure, Wana sells traditional “indica” or “sativa” gummies in flavors like strawberry, watermelon, and the always popular “assorted flavors.” It’s also a pioneer in fast-acting technology that allows for the quicker onset of the cannabis “high” meant to mimic the feeling of smoking cannabis flower. It also released a gummies line made with live rosin. This unique concentrate is made by freezing the entire cannabis plant and extracting its cannabinoids and terpenes through a heating process with no solvents. Wana Brands strongly focuses on cannabinoids, with a line of CBD-only gummies and THC gummies fortified with CBD and other cannabinoids. 

Wana Brands has the largest footprint of the top three, with sales in Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, Nevada, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Oregon.

Incredibles

Colorado-founded Incredibles (sometimes called “Incredibles Edibles”) is a top seller in several states, with its chocolate bars, gummies, tarts, and mints. The company is one of the first big legal cannabis chocolate-bar makers, and the results show. Chicago-based Green Thumb Industries, which operates retail outlets in several states, acquired Incredibles.

You can find Incredibles in Colorado, Maryland, Nevada, Virginia, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Ohio.

Grön

Grön’s sugar-coated gummy “pearls” are a big hit in Arizona, Oklahoma, and Oregon. Their big focus on the “minor cannabinoids,” like CBG, and a line of flavors that range from blueberry lemonade to passion orange guava, give the company an advantage. They also carry a line of chocolates.

It’s a short list of edibles brands that customers say stand out. Still, as more states go legal and more entrepreneurs can enter the game, expect these numbers to grow.

Contrary to popular belief, hemp and marijuana are not two different species of plants. The only actual difference between hemp and marijuana is their THC content. According to the Agricultural Act of 2018, hemp contains 0.3% or less THC than traditional marijuana (cannabis that can get you high). 

Hemp is a versatile plant that manufacturers use to create several products, including paper, clothing, and building materials. Keep reading to learn more about the many uses of this billion-dollar crop. 

Hemp Paper 

Not all paper is made from trees. In fact, hemp paper dates back to the Western Han Dynasty (202 B.C.–9 A.D). According to the American Forest & Paper Association, Chinese court official Ts’ai Lun invented paper using a mixture of mulberry bark, hemp, and water. Lun mashed these ingredients into a pulp, pressed out the liquid, and then hung the remaining mat to dry in the sun. The end result? Paper. 

Lun’s invention didn’t hit the Middle East until 300 years later. It took another 500 years for Europe to catch up. Once word spread to Europe, paper became a popular product. People used it to print books, bibles, and legal documents. 

By 1690, the U.S. had built its first paper mill in Pennsylvania. In the beginning, the U.S. paper mills used Lun’s method. But, as the demand grew, the technique and materials changed. Thanks to the MarijuanaTax Act of 1937, the mills switched from hemp to wood, which was cheaper and legal.

Hemp Foods and Beverages 

Hemp seeds make for a tasty and nutritious topper on yogurt, salads, oatmeal, rice, and veggies. They’re also packed with vitamins (vitamins B and E), minerals (sodium, iron, calcium, sulfur, and potassium, to name a few), and fatty acids (Omega-3 and Omega-6). What’s more? Hemp seeds may produce anti-inflammatory effects. 

Other hemp-based foods include: 

• Hemp seed butter (an alternative for those with a nut allergy).
• Hemp flour (gluten-free and delicious).
• Hemp honey (ideal for sweetening coffee, tea, baked goods, etc.).
• Hemp milk (a non-dairy milk alternative).
• Hemp protein powder (vegan and nutritious).

Hemp can be made into just about anything, including vodka and chewing gum. 

Hemp Building Materials 

Hemp lumber is an eco-friendly alternative to traditional lumber. It has a harvest time of four months (most trees used for lumber can take anywhere between 20 to 80 years). It’s also durable, and according to HempBuild Magazine, it’s 20% harder than oak wood. 

HempWood (owned by Fibonacci LLC, and founded by Greg Wilson) launched a new, sustainable wood alternative in 2019. According to the company’s website, HempWood can be used for flooring, furniture, or other construction materials. Plus, when it comes to price, HempWood is much more affordable than most domestic hardwoods. 

HempWood isn’t the only hemp-based building material out there. Hempcrete (that’s right, a hemp-based concrete alternative) is another versatile construction material. It’s made from hemp hurd (a part of the plant that was previously considered “waste”), lime, and other natural ingredients. Hempcrete is plant-based, energy-efficient, and 100% recyclable.  

According to the Hemp Foundation, the hemp plant has more than 50,000 known uses, from paper to medication. And thanks to the Hemp Farming Act of 2018, American farmers are allowed to grow hemp as a rotational crop. Even so, there are restrictions in place. But, if we keep fighting, hemp may be the answer to a greener tomorrow.

Despite its name being inspired by “Comic-Con,” CannaCon is all about business. The self-proclaimed “nation’s leading B2B cannabis conference” launched in 2014, drawing 6,000 attendees, according to CannaCon founder Bob Smart.

Expect hundreds of exhibitors, including media outlets, advisory firms, lighting companies, and manufacturers. Plan on hitting up seminars with titles like “The Future of Plant-Based Medicine,” “Improving the Customer Experience at Retail,” and “Pheno Hunt: How to Bag the Big One.”

Expect a safe space, no matter your cannabis knowledge level. And there will be no apparent consumption on site.

“CannaCon is a business show—a safe niche,” Smart said in a 2017 interview. “We made a space where any business guy who’s not in the industry can show up, walk around and feel comfortable. 

But it’s not all business. The professional weed party promoters at Sensi Magazine’s official after-parties are legendary in the industry. And if you can’t get into that event (there could be a line around the block, even if you have a ticket), have no fear. There are typically plenty of unofficial after-parties planned around the event too.

The event is big business itself, taking advantage of the rollback of COVID-19 restrictions with seven events plotted out so far for 2022 and 2023 and thousands of expected attendees.

CannaCon breaks its events out roughly by region and mostly sticks to legal adult-use cannabis states, with Mississippi being its sole exception. The Magnolia State is the newest medical state in the U.S., though there are no dispensaries currently open.

Here are the currently scheduled CannaCons nationwide—no West Coast dates have been announced.

2022

• Denver (West), Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 24-25, at the Denver Convention Center at 700 14th St.
• Richmond, Virginia (South), Friday and Saturday, Oct. 14-15, at the Greater Richmond Convention Center at 403 N. 3rd St.

2023

• Biloxi, Mississippi (South), Friday and Saturday, Feb. 24-25 at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum at 2350 Beach Blvd.
• Oklahoma City (South), Friday and Saturday, March 31-April 1, at the Oklahoma City Convention Center at 100 Mick Cornett Drive.
• Albuquerque, New Mexico (West), Friday and Saturday, May 19-20, at the Albuquerque Convention Center at 401 2nd St. NW.

If you’re a business owner, know that the program was designed with your needs front of mind—“from seed to seed money,” as the company says in its promotional material.

CannaCon calls itself “a one-stop shop for all of your cannabis business needs” and touts its events as an opportunity to “network with like-minded entrepreneurs who are also building a bold, new industry.”

Tickets range in price from $50 for a one-day pass to the expo, to $110 for a one-day pass that includes the seminars. A two-day pass is either $80 or $160, depending on whether you plan on attending the seminars.

So, put on your best casual outfit (remember this is cannabis—even “business casual” might be too dressy for this crowd). Then, pop an edible, and get ready to rub elbows with some of the biggest, brightest names in cannabis—and take home a lot of swag.

Generally considered to be two different species of the same plant, people have for decades seen sativa and indica strains as two completely different beasts regarding their effects. 

Today, there’s a movement away from defining strains simply as indica or sativa and toward “chemotype,” a strain defined by its actual chemical composition. For example, a strain that’s technically an indica may provide an effect more like the stereotypical sativa high depending on the cannabinoids and terpenes it possesses.

But it will likely take years for such complexities to be understood by your average, casual consumer (if they ever are). That’s why dispensaries and edibles manufacturers still primarily describe their products in a way their customers will understand: indica and sativa. It’s essential to understand what those labels are widely believed to mean. That way, you know what to expect. In this article, we’ll focus on cannabis indica, starting with the plant itself:

Plant Characteristics

There is some disagreement about whether or not the cannabis indica plant is a different species than the cannabis sativa, but they typically look different.

Cannabis indica plants are typically short, dense, and have a bushier appearance with wide and short leaves compared to the typical cannabis sativa plant. Cannabis sativa plants are typically more tree-like in comparison.

Indica plants grow naturally in the Middle East and Asia mountains, where the climate is dry. Cannabis indica is traditionally the source of the famous hashish (resin) produced in India and Morocco.

Thanks to its native inhospitable growing climate, cannabis indica plants have a relatively fast growing cycle—half that of some cannabis sativa strains. It takes about seven weeks for an indica to flower and be ready for harvesting.

Indica’s Effects

The stereotypical indica high is a “body high,” meaning you’ll primarily feel it in the body as opposed to the more cerebral, creative effects in a sativa strain. Here’s a trick on how to remember this: Indica is felt “in-da-body,” while you can think of the first two letters of “sativa” standing for “stay awake.”

The body high is often a heavy feeling that’s perfect for relaxation, sleep, and pain relief. Just know: You might not want to leave the couch! Indica is also thought to stimulate the appetite or be more likely to give you “the munchies”— a good or bad thing, depending on who you are.

Popular Indica Strains

Northern Lights is quite possibly the most famous strain of cannabis, period, let alone indica. Cannabis database Leafly calls its effects “euphoric” and says it relaxes muscles while “easing the mind.”

Also popular among indica fans: anything purple. And when we say “purple,” we literally mean the flower has blue, red, or purple hues. Helpfully, the word is typically in the strain’s name too. So, whether you’re going for Purple Trainwreck, Purple Punch, or Grizzly Purple Kush, you can expect a high THC count (upward of 24% in some cases) and a body high that could leave you couch-locked with a bag of chips in your lap.

These days, Kush is giving Northern Lights a run for its money in popularity. The earthy-tasting, body-relaxing OG Kush strain has been combined in so many forms that it’s hard to keep up! There’s Bubba Kush, Pre-98 Bubba Kush, Commerce City Kush, King Louis OG, and even Charlie Sheen OG. 

Kush’s diversity and popularity are apparent in its celebration within hip-hop culture.

To sum up, the way we understand weed is changing, but the simplest way to categorize it is by its two most common species: indica and sativa. That’s how you’ll see it labeled at most retail stores or dispensaries and in everyday conversation with casual smokers.

Indica is known for its bushy appearance and body high and comes in the form of many popular strains you’ll hear about in stoner movies and hip-hop tracks. The more you know!

That may have you wondering if your favorite strain will also be affected? Retail is local for U.S. cannabis enthusiasts. So, global trends don’t have much of an immediate impact when it comes to getting cannabis flower from cultivators (grows) to manufacturers or retail stores (dispensaries).

However, higher fuel prices do impact transport. Plus, the manufacturers of devices like vape pens that rely on foreign metals or parts may see delays and higher prices. But overall, the transportation of cannabis itself is pretty constant, consistent, and straightforward.

According to experts and industry insiders, knowing your state’s rules and regulations is the most significant challenge. Like with everything cannabis, each state has its own requirements when it comes to marijuana’s transport (and the cash associated with it). Ultimately, it comes down to this: Safety first.

Many new businesses—with names like HARDCAR, Plymouth Armor Group, and Speedy Transporter, and staffed primarily by former military and law enforcement types—have cropped up around this new legal industry. And companies like INKAS Armored Vehicle Manufacturing and The Armored Group are turning normal-looking vans into armored vehicles specifically designed for the cannabis industry.

Long gone are the days of dispensary owners stuffing their trunks full of cannabis and taking it from the grow to the store. The pros have taken over transporting marijuana from the cultivator to the retailer, and they’re usually doing it in an fortified, bullet-proof vehicle.

But those pros face unique challenges beyond finding the right armored vehicle and security veterans to transport cannabis and its cash. Federal prohibition means that banking cannabis companies is technically illegal, so cannabis is still a cash-heavy business. And that illegal status at the national level means that transporting cannabis or money associated with it across state lines is a crime, too.

Companies like Plymouth Armor Group, which serves cannabis companies in multiple states across New England, must cross their T’s and dot their I’s and know every rule surrounding the transport of the plant in each state that it works.

In a recent interview with cannabis recruiting firm Vangst, Plymouth CEO Abbe Schnibbe and the former owner of Colorado’s first licensed cannabis transport business, Amy Sharp, gave their top advice for people looking to get into the transport business:

1. Insurance should be priority No. 1. And insurance is notoriously difficult to get in the cannabis industry

2. Law enforcement is your friend. The cops in legal states are no longer the weed-seller’s nemesis. You need them on your good side. Sharp said that goodwill goes both ways. The police appreciate an inside look at the business, its schedule, and what certain documents look like, and they’ll reciprocate that respect by looking out for you on the road.

3. Maintain strong relationships with banks and credit unions. These financial institutions are used to dealing with armored vehicles and understand state rules. For example, some states don’t allow armed guards to travel in trucks. That’s an important thing to know. And these financial institutions, which are already taking a considerable risk by working with a cannabis company, will want you to be as compliant as possible.

4. A cannabis transporter might be moving a lot of product and big money, but they shouldn’t expect to make bank. The overhead is high, and they’re technically plant-touching businesses, meaning they’re subject to Tax Code 280E.

Tax Code 280E is the cannabis industry’s No. 1 foil. The Reagan-era rule means that companies selling federally illegal narcotics, like marijuana, can’t claim the same tax deductions as other businesses. Thanks to that law, many cannabis companies see effective tax rates as high as 80%.

So when it comes to transporting cannabis from the grow to the store, U.S. consumers rarely need to worry about a supply-side crunch. But the people transporting the plant do have a lot on their plate.

A cannabis-infused beverage that mimics the predictable, fast-acting effects of alcohol is the Holy Grail of the cannabis industry. Multinational liquor brands are positioning themselves for a long-predicted federally legal U.S. market. 

As of now, 18 U.S. states—plus Washington, D.C., Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands—have legalized adult-use (or recreational) cannabis within their borders as of May 2022. Several bills making their way through Congress to legalize the plant are in various stages. Meanwhile, scientific work  continues before cannabis beverages will give you that quick buzz you get while sipping a strong alcoholic beverage at a bar.

But we’re getting closer. Here are some of the best cannabis beverages out there. And while we couldn’t exactly hit every legal state—primarily because they’re still working out the details of their adult-use rules (or are just plain weird)—we touch on all of them and even squeeze in a few medical-only states.

Ripple

Colorado and Michigan

Denver-based Ripple is known for its fast-acting formulas in both gummies and dissolvables. In fact, a 2021 study by academics at Colorado State University found that its products “hit” users much faster—as quickly as twice as fast—than other market-leading consumables. Ripple’s QuickDissolves products come discreetly in powder form, which you can then add to a soda, beer, bottle of water, or glass of wine. Quick Dissolves are as close to flavorless as cannabis products come. Ripple can be found at cannabis retail outlets in Michigan and Colorado.

Keef

Arizona, California, Colorado, Oklahoma, Maine, Missouri, and Puerto Rico

Another Denver-based company with a much bigger footprint is Keef. Keef is a cannabis concentrates manufacturer that also makes canned, spiked soda. Whether you’re looking for traditional cola and root beer flavors or something more exotic like Blackberry Coconut and Purple Passion, Keef’s got you covered—and in a wide variety of locales. You can purchase Keef legally in Arizona, California, Colorado, Oklahoma, Maine, Missouri, and Puerto Rico (medical only). If you’re heading up north, you’ll find Keef in Ontario and Saskatchewan, Canada.

Cann

Illinois, Nevada, Rhode Island, and New Jersey

Several emerging cannabis markets are the first outside of California to access Cann, a “social tonic” manufactured by Chicago-based cannabis giant Green Thumb Industries. The beverage, made of not-from-concentrate fruit juice and organic agave nectar, is dosed at just 2 milligrams of THC and CBD. It was already a big hit in The Golden State. Illinois, Nevada, Rhode Island, and New Jersey, which just opened up its adult-use cannabis market in April, will enjoy the beverage in its three flavors—Lemon Lavender, Grapefruit Rosemary, and Blood Orange Cardamom—following a recently-announced expansion. 

Good Feels

Massachusetts

If you’re in Massachusetts and feel left out, have no worries: Good Feels is here for you. The minority-owned, Medway-based company just dropped four THC-infused seltzers and two “beverage enhancers” in flavors like Black Cherry, Raspberry Apple, Lemon Lime, and even “Flavorless.” Each 12-ounce bottle is infused with 3 milligrams of THC and 2 milligrams of CBD for a mellow buzz that’s meant to be fast-acting. Good Feels’ packaging is also sustainable—sold in “infinitely recyclable glass bottles within a carbon-neutral facility using 100% renewable energy,” according to the company.

Wync

Arizona, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, Missouri and Oklahoma, Ohio, and Arkansas

Wync THC and Seltzer, which calls itself “the most widely distributed cannabis seltzer beverage in the United States,” just launched in New Mexico—one of the newest legal markets. With flavors like Juicy Mango, Lime Twist, and Black Cherry Fizz, these low-dose beverages that contain 2.5 milligrams each of THC and CBD are also available in rec states Arizona, Maine, Michigan, Massachusetts, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Wync’s seltzer can also is available in medical-only states Ohio and Arkansas.

You missed my state!

Oregon, Montana, Alaska, Vermont, New York, Virginia, Connecticut, Washington, D.C.

Some states are too new, too small, or just plain weird. Here’s the breakdown of the remaining legal adult-use states.

Very few multistate cannabis beverage brands appear to be available in Oregon. Among the most popular cannabis-infused beverages is a cannabis concentrate made using frozen plants that naturally maintain many of the cannabinoids (CBD, for example) added (separately) to the previously listed beverages. Magic Number beverages come in Lime, Berry, Passion Fruit, and Tonic flavors.

One of Washington state’s most popular brands, Major, is “designed to deliver high doses of THC in a small 6.7 fluid-ounce juice beverage,” according to the company. Its motto is, “Major packs a major punch.” It comes in Orange Mango, Pink Lemonade, Blue Raspberry, Passion Fruit, and Grape flavors.

Montana’s top beverage’s motto is “Skip the seltzer. Grab a Sinful.” Sinful Beverages’ flavors include Lemonade, Strawberry Lemonade, Huckleberry Lemonade, and Sweet Mango. Watch out, though: Each bottle contains 85 milligrams of THC. 

Alaska’s Fire Eater is like an energy drink, but with 5 milligrams of THC. It comes in Orange, Pineapple, and Strawberry flavors.

In Vermont, cannabis is recreationally legal, but there’s nowhere to buy it. This is expected to change this year.

New York has yet to fully spell out or implement its recreational cannabis rules, leading to mass confusion and frustration.

Virginia is a brand-new legal state (and the first in the South), but a regulated market won’t launch until 2024.

Connecticut, meanwhile, is still doling out licenses for infused products.

Washington, D.C., meanwhile, allows possession of cannabis, but not the sale of it.

Wherever you live, have fun and be safe as you enjoy the cocktail legal for you to consume.

But over the past 10 years, 18 U.S. states have legalized the sale and use of recreational cannabis (and nearly 40 have some form of medical marijuana). So, it’s just as likely that the “skunky” odor you smell driving through certain areas is coming from a new kind of source: a legal marijuana grow.

Do People Like Their Marijuana to Smell Like a Skunk?

Yes, the cannabis plant is known—and even celebrated—for its distinctive skunky odor. You can find references to the pungent smell in marijuana strain names like Skunkberry, White Super Skunk, and Thelonious Skunk. 

And you can find references to it in lyrics by famous cannabis enthusiasts like the rap trio Cypress Hill.

“Skunk” strains are celebrated for their relaxation-inducing mellow and heavy highs, which many people believe help with mood disorders and anxiety.

But what exactly causes your weed to smell like a skunk? Well, thanks to nearly a century of federal cannabis prohibition making most studies of the plant illegal, we don’t know for sure. But experts do have some ideas—and some of those theories involve one of beer’s most essential ingredients: hops.

Photo: skodonnell via gettyimages.com

The Theories

Terpenes: Terpenes are a relatively new area of focus for most cannabis companies and producers. Terpenes are natural compounds found mostly in plants. They, among other things, produce smells and affect pigment and coloration. And you could say they’re universal: The same terpenes that make a lemon smell like lemon are likely the same terpenes that make your Super Lemon Haze strain smell like a lemon.

There’s a growing understanding within the world of cannabis that the old indica-sativa way of thinking about the effects of the cannabis plant is flawed at best and inaccurate at worst. Instead, “The Entourage Effect” concept is picking up steam. The concept posits that a combination of cannabinoids (CBD, CBG, CBN, THC, etc.) and terpenes are really what cause the unique smell, look, and effect of each cannabis strain.

Another intoxicant that Americans love to consume and sometimes refer to as “skunky” (though usually not in a good way) is beer. And beer is full of hops, which are genetically related to the cannabis plant, falling in the same plant family, called Cannabaceae. 

Experts frequently point to one terpene, myrcene, as having a particularly skunky smell—and it’s found in certain cannabis strains in addition to hops.

“While not all strains with myrcene smell like skunks, it’s a common trait—and one that stoners have grown to love,” explained Herbert Fuego, the columnist for “Ask a Stoner,” a feature in Denver’s Westword alt-weekly.

But a growing body of scientific evidence is pointing to a different culprit.

Thiols: Thiols are alcohol-like chemical compounds, except with a sulfur atom in place of the oxygen atom. They’re also the primary cause of a skunk’s defensive stench, according to 1980s research referenced by Discover Magazine.

A 2001 study by the University of Northern Carolina and Belgium’s University of Gent found that 3-MBT, a thiol similar to one emitted by skunks, causes beer to get that skunky persona. That particular thiol was found in the hops used to make the beer.

Thomas H. Shellhammer, a professor of fermentation science at Oregon State University, told Discover that the minute a beer is exposed to ultraviolet light—like sunlight—a chemical reaction occurs that quickly creates the sulfury thiol.

“If you walk outside with a nice yellow beer like a pilsner on a summer day, the change is happening almost immediately,” Shellhammer told Discover.

And the thiol theory got some serious backing in a recent peer-reviewed study by California-based terpene research and production company Abstrax Tech.

Using a technology called 2-Dimensional gas chromatography (or 2DGC) the researchers found “key volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs)—organic compounds containing sulfur” and thiols as the primary cause of the skunky smell in cannabis, according to a press release announcing the findings. The study says these compounds are actually similar to VSCs found in garlic.

“I have suspected for years now that we were missing something in our understanding of this plant,” study co-author and cannabis industry veteran Josh Del Rosso said in the release. “Although terpenes have been hailed as the major source of the pungent scent of cannabis, we now know that it is this new class of VSCs.”

So whether it’s terpenes, thiols, key volatile sulfur compounds or something else yet to be discovered, the age-old question of, “Why does my weed smell like a skunk?” has a growing body of science to be explored.