Weed Drinks Are Everywhere in Minnesota. Other States Are Now Embracing Them
Last Updated: Tuesday August 6, 2024
(POLITICO) Call it the Minnesota Weed Miracle.
State lawmakers — some with no clue what they were doing — voted with little fanfare two years ago to partially legalize cannabis. Many had missed a provision, tucked into a massive health care policy bill, permitting the sale of low-potency, hemp-derived beverages.
The move seemed innocuous, given the narrow scope. But the result has stunned the legal weed industry, with the law leading to an explosion in the market for THC beverages unlike anything seen across the country. Practically every liquor store in Minnesota now devotes shelf space to intoxicating cannabis drinks. Struggling craft breweries have embraced the opportunity to create new product lines infused with pot. Even high-end restaurants, hair salons and this city’s iconic rock club — First Avenue — are selling weed drinks powerful enough to get most people stoned.