Welcome Note

Welcome back Gardeners!

It’s been a really busy week for me in my full time role at Protis Global. We had our mid-year sales meeting and recorded a few podcast episodes. But the hemp beverage world doesn’t slow down! And we had a very busy week. Keep reading for the latest!

The subreddit I moderate with Chris Fontes is beginning to see more folks joining, we are closing in on 1,000 subscribers. So subscribe over on Reddit and follow along there!

The Free Spirits Podcast with David Gonzalez and myself is going strong and Episode 10 dropped last week with Benjamin Kennedy, Founder, Fable Libations.

If you could take the time to drop a review of the podcast or even just share it with a friend or two, it really does help us grow and continue to bring you this show.

You can find us on Youtube, Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts!

I hope you enjoy this week’s newsletter

And as always, my email is open!

-Lars

Any comments or questions? Leave comment on this post or shoot me an email. Would love to hear from you!

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News Round Up

• Big Alcohol prepares to fight back as buzzy cannabis drinks steal sales - Alcohol companies are responding to rising consumer interest in THC drinks by lobbying for regulatory crackdowns and investing in cannabis-infused beverage ventures. Executives from Anheuser-Busch and Molson Coors confirmed they’re monitoring the space closely as drink makers like Cann and Wynk gain shelf space.

• R.I. cannabis regulators put pause on new hemp retailer licenses - Rhode Island’s Office of Cannabis Regulation has temporarily stopped issuing new hemp retail licenses while it develops updated guidelines. This pause is part of a broader review of intoxicating hemp-derived products and how they fit into the state’s legal cannabis market.

• Haziness over THC regulation in Georgia doesn’t stop hemp drink makers - Georgia hemp beverage brands are continuing to grow despite unclear state rules on intoxicating cannabinoids. Retailers and manufacturers are navigating the gray area cautiously while awaiting potential updates to the state’s legal framework.

• Trulieve Announces Expanded Distribution of Onward and Launch of THC-Infused Energy Drink, Upward - Trulieve’s announcement details plans to scale distribution of its THC beverage line Onward and launch a new high-energy formulation, Upward. These products will be sold in adult-use and hemp-legal markets through retail and e-commerce channels.

• Cannabis beverages booming as alcohol sales slump - A segment from Yahoo Finance highlights the rapid growth of cannabis beverages, with experts noting consumer demand for alternatives to alcohol. The report references data showing increased sales and broader distribution across the U.S

• ‘It would destroy me’: McConnell push to bar intoxicating hemp vexes new Kentucky industry - Senator Mitch McConnell is backing legislation to ban intoxicating hemp products nationwide, raising alarm among Kentucky businesses that have built operations around Delta-8 and Delta-9 beverages. Small business owners warn the proposed ban could devastate the state’s emerging hemp economy.

• Ohio Bill Would Crack Down on Intoxicating Hemp Products - New legislation in Ohio aims to restrict the sale of intoxicating hemp products outside licensed cannabis dispensaries. The proposed bill would ban sales to minors, cap THC content, and increase enforcement against non-compliant retailers.

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Could THC Drinks Play a Role in the Longevity Stack?

Americans are obsessed with living longer, and they’re starting to spend like it.

According to Coefficient Capital and The New Consumer’s Consumer Trends Mid-Year 2025 report, nearly half of U.S. adults say they’re actively trying to live longer. And among Gen Z and Millennials, 20% would spend over $200 per month on products or services if it meant an extra 50-100 healthy years.

That stat puts longevity in the same spending tier as premium fitness memberships, skincare routines, and biohacking supplements. But here’s what almost no one is talking about: the behavior overlap between longevity culture and hemp-derived THC drinks.

No, these drinks aren’t being marketed as life-extending tools. But when consumers reach for them to relax, sleep better, or cut back on alcohol, they’re unknowingly tapping into the very routines that longevity science promotes. And the data backs that up.

Longevity Is a Mindset and Its Own Budget Category

Healthspan , not just lifespan, is becoming a real economic category. That same Consumer Trends report notes that about 47% of Americans consider themselves someone “actively trying to live longer.” And more than a third of consumers said they’d follow strict health routines (like daily supplements, meditation, or cutting out sugar) to extend their lives.

While traditional longevity products include everything from sleep trackers to peptide injections, cannabis beverages are starting to edge into the conversation, but not because they are being marketed as such, but simply by use occasion and desired effect.

THC Beverages Are Quietly Driving Healthier Behavior

The Q1 2025 Hemp-Derived THC Consumer Report by Brightfield shows that nearly 47% of hemp beverage users are drinking less alcohol since adopting these products. And that same group is replacing their alcohol not just with THC—but with routines that look suspiciously like a wellness protocol:

• 42.7% cited “no hangovers” as the top reason for swapping

• 41.9% chose “trying to reduce alcohol use”

• 31.8% said “like the effects more”

• 30.4% said “natural alternative”

None of those reasons are about getting high. They’re about control, comfort, and better recovery, all core values of longevity culture.

The Low-Dose User Looks a Lot Like the Longevity Consumer

Brightfield’s data reveals that low-dose drinkers (those who prefer 1mg to 4mg per serving) tend to be more educated, wealthier, and more likely to be married.

Sound familiar?

That’s almost a perfect overlap with the target demo for longevity products: proactive consumers with disposable income, health awareness, and routine-based lifestyles.

And while most consumers still prefer the 5-9mg range, the growth in low-dose usage over the past three quarters is meaningful, a sign that moderation and functional use are gaining ground.

Sleep, Stress, and Recovery Are the Entry Points

When asked what effects they want from THC beverages, consumers aren’t chasing euphoria. They’re looking for relaxation (66.7%), stress relief (46.2%), and better sleep (45.1%).

That trio lines up perfectly with what longevity researchers emphasize: improve your sleep, manage your cortisol, and give your nervous system space to downregulate.

THC drinks are already being used in this way, whether consumers are conscious of it or not. Yet so many drinks and brands market themselves recreationally (which makes sense) and not as many market themselves as a wellness ritual (which makes less sense).

This Is a Health Product

The clearest takeaway here isn’t that hemp drinks are longevity tools. It’s that they’re being used like them.

Consumers aren’t asking for THC drinks to extend their lives. But they are reaching for them in the same moments they used to pour a second glass of wine or pop a melatonin gummy. And in those decisions lies the real shift.

How Brands Can Build the Bridge

If you’re a hemp beverage brand looking to tap into this undercurrent:

1. Talk about recovery, not just recreation.

   • Stress, sleep, and post-workout reset are all use cases people relate to, without needing to label the product “health-focused.”

2. Explore stackability.

   • How does your drink complement magnesium, L-theanine, ashwagandha, or electrolytes?

3. Lean into light doses.

   • The 1mg to 4mg crowd is growing and tends to spend more, engage longer, and evangelize the brands that match their routines.

4. Educate quietly.

   • Use subtle language around sleep quality, nervous system support, or winding down without feeling like you’re making medical claims.

The Future Is Functional

Longevity isn’t just about supplements and lab tests anymore. It’s about the small, sustainable swaps that compound over time.

And for a growing number of consumers, hemp drinks are becoming one of those swaps.

They might not know it yet. But the shift is already happening.

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