Target, the retail giant, is soft-launching THC-infused beverage sales in Minnesota at selected stores. This was confirmed by an executive with a cannabis drink manufacturer participating in the launch and industry leaders.
In one of the latest examples of the normalization of cannabis in mainstream commercial marketing, Target’s move in Minnesota—where the company is headquartered—reportedly involves putting a dozen THC drink brands on shelves in 10 select stores in the state.
As Congress considers recriminalizing hemp-derived products that contain a certain amount of THC as well as as state governments continue to assess their own laws, the move coincides with Congressional deliberations.
Jason Dayton is the co-founder and CEO of Trail Magic. He told MEDCAN24 that Target’s involvement in hemp at this time was monumental. And this moment shows how regulations work.
“I think all of us, collectively, would say we want more regulation—not less,” he said. “We want age-gating and testing. We want the laws that allowed alcohol to be a $250 billion industry every year, including the thousands of jobs, tax revenues, etc.
The THC drink brands that are being sold at Target of Friday include Birdie, Cann, Gigli, Hi Seltzer, Indeed, Señorita, Stigma, Surly, Trail Magic, Wonder, Wyld and Wynk, according to Dayton.
Photo by Jason Dayton Trail Magic.
Adam Terry is the CEO of Cantrip said While he is “bummed,” his company was not included in the launch. However, this development “is still HUGE” for the industry and “big props to the people who are part of the set.”
MEDCAN24 contacted Target as well as some other beverage brands to get their comments, but no one was available.
Aaron Edelheit said, “I have long wondered when retail giants, distributors, and alcohol companies would make the decision to get into hemp drinks,” in a Friday blog. We’ve had major alcohol and state distributors enter the market, but we haven’t yet seen any retail titans take the plunge. “That changed today.”
It remains to be seen if the pilot test will lead to an expansion beyond Minnesota of hemp drinks at Target stores.
But the move also comes at a precipitous time in the state and federal hemp policy debate, with some lawmakers angling for a ban of cannabis products containing any amount of THC—despite the federal legalization of the crop and its derivatives under the 2018 Farm Bill, which was signed into law by President Donald Trump during his first term.
Minnesota has been known for hemp drinks even before legalizing marijuana use by adults.
Gov. Tim Walz (D) signed legislation in 2022 making it so all hemp-derived cannabinoids including CBD could be legally sold in food items, beverages, topicals and more—as long as the products contain less than the federal limit of 0.3 percent THC. The maximum THC content of edible and beverage products is 5mg per serving, and 50mg per package.
A year after that, the former Minnesota House majority leader Ryan Winkler, who fought for Minnesota’s hemp legalization legislation in multiple sessions, revealed plans to start his own hemp drink company.
The mainstreaming of cannabis beverages comes as a new polls shows that a majority of Americans believe marijuana represents a “healthier option” than alcohol—and that most also expect cannabis to be legal in all 50 states within the next five years.
Another survey found that four in five adults who drink cannabis-infused beverages say they’ve reduced their alcohol intake—and more than a fifth have quit drinking alcohol altogether.
Target is not the only company to join in on cannabis as laws evolve.
Home Depot is one of the biggest employers in America. According to a MEDCAN24 document, Home Depot changed its drug-testing policies last year to eliminate cannabis completely from the screening panel and to stop the pre-employment testing for most workers.
Amazon, second largest employer in the U.S.A., will also support a Republican-led law to legalize, regulate and tax marijuana federally by 2022. It previously expressed support for a separate, Democratic-led legalization bill. Amazon, which has backed the reform of Congress, is also adapting to changes in marijuana policies within its own organization. In 2021 it will no longer test workers for drug use, and for many employees, this means that they won’t be tested.
Veterans of Foreign Wars of the United States (VFW), meanwhile, recently formed a partnership, a first of its kind, with an hemp THC beverage manufacturer. The deal involves a branding licensing agreement that supports a range of veteran services, and also promotes cannabis drinks, which can be used as alcohol alternatives. These drinks will soon be available in VFW post across the nation.
Virgin Atlantic has denied false and mocking claims that a marijuana beverage company had made earlier this year about selling its THC infused beverages in flights.
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