Tilray Brands chairman and CEO Irwin Simon had a message for Wall Street during the company’s full-year fiscal year 2026 earnings call: “We are no longer defined by one category, one market or one regulatory outcome.”
THC beverages reached $239 million in the 52 weeks ending April 4 2026, up 135% versus the prior year, and despite a looming ban, there’s thirst for more.
After years of concern that cannabis and THC products could cut into bev-alc occasions, some of the bev-alc industry is starting to view THC-infused beverages as an opportunity. But not everyone is completely on board.
If there’s a stay of execution, it’ll probably be at the last minute. That’s what hemp lobbyists and industry groups are starting to believe about the potential for a reprieve from the upcoming November 12 THC ban, according to the Coalition for Adult Beverage Alternatives (CABA).
As Congress’s November deadline ticks closer for intoxicating hemp beverage makers, states are not waiting to pass their own regulations on if and where THC drinks can be sold.
New York may allow licensed alcohol retailers to sell THC-infused drinks if a new measure introduced in the State Legislature earlier this week gains passage.
The future of hemp beverages remains in flux as potential legislative bills circulate on Capitol Hill, but for suppliers and distributors in the space, keeping up with demand has been business as usual. Almost.
While some intoxicating hemp brands are positioning themselves as alcohol alternatives, one early adopter of alcohol-free spirits is joining the fray from the opposite direction.
The impending federal ban of hemp-derived THC products continues to loom over the emerging beverage category, but that isn’t deterring investors from capitalizing on the “generational opportunity” to get in, should the law change.
Hemp THC drink makers RYTHM and Señorita have each inked multi-year agreements with the United Center in Chicago.
An influential group of beverage-alcohol retailers and distributors are supporting legislative efforts to keep hemp-infused beverages alive despite their prohibition, slated to take effect in November 2026.
Intoxicating hemp drinks are getting a lifeline in Chicago, despite the outlawing of other hemp-derived THC products.
An Indiana congressman has proposed legislation to push back the upcoming hemp ban for three years, allowing more time to carve out a regulatory framework for hemp products.
New funding could be a sign of optimism from the investor class as hemp-derived THC drinks await regulatory clarity.
Amidst all the fast-growing beverage categories and trends, there’s only one that’s facing a ticking clock towards extinction. The future of the thriving cannabis beverage industry, specifically hemp-derived THC drinks that can be sold outside of adult-use regulated channels, is under intense pressure following November’s decision by Congress to effectively ban all hemp-derived products even… Read more »
Editor’s Note: The below news items were initially reported in the Brewbound Insider Newsletter December 22-26. Not an Insider? Become one today to get earlier access to what’s going on in the industry. CGA: 40% Consumers Plan to Take Part in Dry January; Half of Gen Z to Participate Two-in-five consumers plan to take part… Read more »
President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Thursday directing the U.S. Attorney General to move cannabis from a Schedule I to Schedule III controlled substance, marking a watershed moment in the history of U.S. marijuana policy and a significant step forward for the nascent THC-infused beverage industry.
