PPB August 2020

most Americans think it’s high time for that to change. According to Pew Research, nine in 10 U.S. adults say marijuana should be legal for both medical and recreational use, with younger adults (those ages 18 to 29) more likely to support legalization for both types of use. Only eight percent of Americans think marijuana should be illegal in all situations. With 29 percent of Americans living in a state where recreational cannabis is legal, marijuana is swiftly going mainstream. Users no longer have to call a guy—they can walk into a dispensary or even have cannabis delivered right to their doorstep. Companies such as Eaze and Puffy Delivery, which has been called the “Amazon of weed,” will courier cannabis directly to consumers. The cannabis market has hit a high during the COVID-19 quarantine, when many people looked for ways to mellow out and pass the time. For example, in Michigan, recreational sales skyrocketed more than 20 percent during the week of March 16, surging from $4.7 million to $5.8 million, according to the state’s Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs. During this same time, medical sales rose 27 percent, from $6.2 million to $7.9 million. California saw retail marijuana sales surge by 159 percent in March, while sales in Washington State swelled 100 percent and sales in Colorado grew 46 percent, according to the National Center for Drug Abuse Statistics. While most cannabis users (56 percent) consumed the same amount as usual while under quarantine, nearly one in four said they used more cannabis, according to data from New Frontier. It’s clear that pot is having a pivotal moment. In this “green rush,” what many call the burgeoning cannabis industry, promotional products can help cultivate continued growth. As marijuana legalization expands across the country, the opportunity is ripe for marketing not only to consumers but also to physicians who turn to cannabis to treat myriad conditions including cancer, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, glaucoma, Alzheimer’s disease and Crohn’s disease, among others. When it comes to cannabis promotions, creativity is key. Whether you want to help a dispensary increase foot traffic or get more people to buy cannabis edibles, promotional products can help quash stigmas, attract a broader audience and make brands bloom. Get in front of cannabis connoisseurs with something useful: rolling papers . These fully customizable booklets are eco-friendly and made from renewable resources. Each includes 40 papers in a choice of hemp, rice, and bleached or unbleached wood pulp. Cannabis Promotions / PPAI 755476, S1 / www.cannabispromotions.com Campaign Collateral Not all cannabis is alike. With the hardcover guided Cannabis Strain Tracker Journal , users can learn how to use certain products for specific situations to customize effects. There’s room to record the brand, strain, dispensary, potency, taste, mood and more. The Book Company / PPAI 218850, S6 / www.thebookco.com | AUGUST 2020 | 37 GROW