A 10-year study of the effect of legalizing cannabis on the consumption of alcohol produced some interesting results.
In an article published in the magazine Forbes, it is reported that marijuana sales dropped by 15% in states with medical cannabis laws.
Data on alcohol purchases was collected from chain store sales between 2006 and 2015. The article suggests that in the alcoholic beverage category, beer is more likely to be impacted than wine because of wine-food pairings. The alcoholic beverage industry was quick to push back on the findings, reporting in Beverage Daily that cannabis sales have no effect on alcohol sales.
The possible effect of cannabis on alcoholic beverage sales is particularly interesting given the recent appearance of THC-infused canned beverages, such as those sold in Clear Sky’s dispensaries. These products have been very well received, and it seems likely that there will be some impact on canned beverages containing alcohol.
