The future of marijuana depends on cannabis that isn’t smoked
HEXO, a Canada-based cannabis company, believes that the future of cannabis is going to come from non-consumers. It sees smoking as an eventual non-issue, with most individuals looking for alternative cannabis experiences. There could be value in the statement, given the figures of who is now consuming cannabis, and how.
In the last quarter of 2018, 14% of Canadians 15 years old or older admitted to having tried marijuana. Of those, over 50% – 56%, to be exact – reported weekly or daily use, and HEXO believes the true future lies with the remaining 86% that haven’t consumed.
HEXO asserts, “Old cannabis is the flower; new cannabis is Elixir or products like Elixir.” Elixir is a smoke-free peppermint-flavored oral spray that is easy to use. It was chosen as the Cannabis Product of the Year and the Innovation of the Year at last year’s Canadian Cannabis Awards and HEXO Strategic Business Development Manager Pierre Killeen states, “People are genuinely curious and attracted to new and innovative things.”
Apart from its own line of products – HEXO now has more than 50 – that target the non-consumer, the company is also getting started with Molson Coors to manufacture non-alcoholic beverages infused with cannabidiol (CBD). These drinks could also find favor with non-consumers who want to see what the excitement is about.
Killeen sees HEXO as a pioneer, something Canada hasn’t seen in a long time. He asserts, “We have a unique opportunity in Canada to be global leaders in the industry. I often ask people, ‘When was the last time Canada was a leader, a global leader in the industry?’ And my answer is, ‘You will have to go back to the fur trade.’”