What Does The Shake Up In The Cannabis Media Industry Mean For Weed's Mainstreaming?

The cannabis industry has experienced the same turmoil as Wall Street in recent months.

Major companies have seen their stocks plunge, recover and dip again. With vexing issues around state taxes, the Biden administration’s slow flirtation with expanded legalization and a public that is embracing returning to bars, concerts and parties, the industry is navigating an ever-changing landscape.

In comparison, beverage industry leader IRi shared the alcohol category continues to buck CPG trends. Amid rampant inflation, price increases for alcohol continue to significantly lag other categories. And beer, wine and spirit customers are still shifting from value to premium price tiers.

The cannabis consumer media is also experiencing an evolution.

High Times, long the industry’s cheerleader, is said to be evolving into a plant-touching company with licensed stores and branded products.

Publicly traded Leafly LFLY announced it has started a pilot program with Uber UBE for cannabis delivery in Canada. If the company enters the US market, it will put it in competition with Jane and Eaze.

Some original players have closed as mainstream media increases its coverage. Weedmaps MAPS still commands the top spot as the most profitable marijuana website.

The Fresh Toast, which has a mass-market appeal, has taken the leading spot as well. With considerable direct site traffic and 1.4+ million social media followers, coupled with its daily newspaper syndication, the outlet has a potential monthly audience of a few million readers.

Meanwhile, stoner-focused Cannabis.net seems poised to take the High Times mantel and continues to engage both industry leaders and aficionados. Within the more niche market area of print, there are several outlets including A Different Leaf, Honeysuckle, Broccoli and Gossamer. There seems to be a market as some readers love the feel of holding and seeing pictures. 

John Hudak, senior fellow and deputy director at Brookings shared, “Even without federal legalization, marijuana use is increasingly becoming mainstream. Over 60% of Americans support federal legalization, and the public is more open to sharing their cannabis experiences.”

“Traditional mainstream media like Tribune Publishing, Fox News, POLITICO and USA Today now cover the business of cannabis and provide their readers content related to wellness, medical use and more,” he added. “Americans and readers from around the world are increasingly turning to sites that reflect their reading habits and perspectives for information related to this burgeoning industry.”

Cannabis PR expert Kim Ring also weighed in on the issue, arguing that , in today’s market, meeting the consumer where they are is the goal. 

Sites and print magazines with a mainstream focus are the priority targets for both clients and end product customers. Consumers tend to look for what they want on their phones via queries like “how to get high without smoking” or “marijuana and sleeping,” and traditional newspapers and magazines are increasingly doing the same articles that used to only be in the High Times generation.

Considering the political atmosphere, public companies like Constellation Brands STZ entering the field, and the mainstream of the using marijuana, it seems more change and opportunity to still to come.

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