What Michigan’s cannabis industry can learn from the wine industry
Over at cannabis.net, Dana Smith takes a look at similarities between the wine & cannabis industries & what that could mean for the development of marijuana businesses. Read the whole thing but here are some highlights:
Aside from being the ultimate relaxant and/or social lubricant for many, both cannabis and wine share a variety of interesting characteristics as well as complexities. It’s no surprise why weed pairing dinners have become popular in legal states as one would do a wine pairing dinner. Both are widely used recreational “drugs” of choice and they do share some similarities:
Unwind: Cannabis users and wine drinkers can consume their medicine when getting home from work, often for taking the edge off the day and decompressing. A small dose, such as a puff or two of weed or a glass or two of wine, certainly does lots to enhance an evening or a meal during the week, promoting deep rest. For as long as you can manage your wine intake to avoid alcoholism or heart disease, then you can enjoy the numerous health benefits of wine.
Product lines: Cannabis can be used on its own but it can also yield numerous other products such as tinctures, oils, edible foods, and concentrates. In the same way that wine can also be used to create other products such as sauces, vinegars, and syrup. What’s interesting is that we are only in the beginning of seeing what cannabis can produce; the industry will surely continue to expand in this area this year onwards.
Appellations: Appellations refer to how the location a grape was grown in affects its quality. Cannabis has its own appellations too, especially when it comes to climate, soil, and elevation. This is why certain strains are best grown in colder climates, while other strains grow better in warm conditions. (more about cannabis appellations)
Tourism: Travel doesn’t get more fun than including wine and weed at your specific holiday destination. This is why millions of people flock to Italy to enjoy the wine with the food, or the vineyards of Australia, South Africa, Chile, and much more. It’s also why people flock to California for its home grown herb, Amsterdam, Spain, and much more.
Having said that, there are certain things that the cannabis industry can learn from the wine industry. The wine industry already understands the taxes, permits, rules, licenses, and numerous regulatory obstacles necessary to be in business, which the cannabis industry is still yet to regulate.
Read on for lots more including recommendations including lobbying, consumer education & avoiding making cannabis a “snobby” product. More about cannabis & tourism in our 420-friendly lodging & travel section!
