Artificial Cannabis Plants As Décor? Great Idea And Not Just For Aesthetic Reasons

Cannabis advocates have been trying to overcome the social stigma connected to cannabis for a while now. One company has come up with a creative idea that seems to be catching on. Pot Plant, an online store, is selling artificial cannabis plants for the home and office, writes The New York Times. 

Their purpose is not only esthetic, the company’s founders hope that displaying faux marijuana plants will inspire discussions around it, and help shift negative mindsets. 

“At its core, we’re trying to get people to see the plant for what it truly is,” said Karina Farris, 26, one of the brand’s founders. “It’s just a plant. It’s nature. It shouldn’t be anything scary.”

George Hernandez, 28, who founded Pot Plant with Farris, added that their goal “is to have our plants in the homes of all types of people, of various ages from different backgrounds.”

Farris got the idea for Pot Plant in 2019 while working in the cannabis industry. She wanted to do something on her own that would help change public beliefs around the plant. 

“There’s been a war on drugs for years and years, and people are programmed to see this plant and think it’s a dirty thing,” she continued. “We’re working to reprogram what’s been told and what the narrative has been.”

Her personal experience with cannabis came when her father used it while being treated for skin cancer. Farris said cannabis oil helped him. “He has always been a proponent and been very open about it,” she added.

Who Are The Clients? 

So far, Pot Plant has sold around 8,000 units, with its most sought-after product being the 10-inch “Clone.” The company, which launched in September, also has wholesale clients, which are normally prop departments for TV shows, but also cannabis dispensaries and related shops.

Designs are meticulously crafted from molds of real weed plants, Farris said. “At the last prototype, our one grower friend was like, ‘I don’t know, honestly this could be a real plant,’” Farris told the NY Times.

Shifting Perspectives – From Abstract To Physical 

In spite of ongoing legalization trends across the nation, there are still those who have concerns or who are adamantly opposed to adult-use cannabis. Pot Plants' founders believe that by making cannabis more visible, these views can be challenged. 

Aimee Huff, associate professor of marketing at Oregon State University agrees, 

noting that the purpose of artificial weed is “symbolic and visual” as it “shifts cannabis from something that is abstract to something that is physical and tangible.”

Fake cannabis plants, says Huff, can help with “destigmatization” because they

show people that cannabis is an “aesthetic, natural botanical specimen.” Even though this version is made from artificial materials, its essence is recognizable to most people. “It allows people to mentally categorize cannabis as something that can be beautiful and tasteful,” Huff added, “different from a novelty gag gift.”

Photo: Courtesy of Matthew Sichkaruk on Unsplash