elderly woman and man share a joint

The Cannabis Revolution in 2022

“It’s 4/20 and as some of you might know, that’s kind of a silly holiday or something for marijuana smokers”

– Local News Guy

I won’t name this poor guy, he is probably getting roasted enough by his family and friends, but talking about 4/20 on the local news so casually, even if the guy was trying super hard to act “only vaguely familiar” with the topic, is a big deal.

After all, it wasn’t really that long ago that we only ever heard about the many ways the “devil’s lettuce” would destroy our lives and everything about society.

Legal Weed Market Expected to Hit $130 Million

When the FADS Marketing book was first published marijuana was legal for either recreational or medicinal use in a majority of US states. We predicted more would follow; and they did, with 8 more states legalizing use either medically or recreationally since 2018, despite its continued classification by the Feds as a Class 1 controlled substance.

That, as we mention in the book, will take more time to change for a number of reasons, none of them being a lack of support by most people on both the right and left sides of the spectrum.

How did Brands celebrate 4/20 this year?

With such widespread support among consumers brands really can’t go wrong openly showing their support. And every year more and more of them do.

Even non-cannabis brands get into the game on 4/20. They know that legalization is widely popular, and it’s a great excuse to have fun with their social media (it also draws the engagement social managers need to show in reports).

Staying true to their mission, Ben & Jerrys reminds us that legalization without justice reform is as they put it “half-baked.”

And despite pleas from AdWeek to ditch the stoner jokes, other national food brands stuck to jokes about munchies anyway:

Oh Canada.

Politicians—they’re just like us

Even elected officials who were once afraid to voice too much support are now openly advocating for changes in their states and federally.

In Minnesota, Governor Tim Walz called for an end to prohibition, and like Ben & Jerry’s he’d like to see some justice reform get passed in the state senate as well.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer shared progress on the end of Federal prohibition.

And candidates for office have been openly smoking up in campaign commercials, eager to show they are more than just talk.

Despite overwhelming support, there are still obstacles

We talked about the obstacles in the book, but we’re going to continue moving towards legalization. They know it. We know it. Everyone knows it. Even some of the most historically “tough on crime,” have gotten into the weed business.

Gen Z doesn’t buy that ‘Reefer Madness’

Gen Z, the newest to turn 21, is already being called “cannabis-native” and even though only a small number of them can legally buy right now, they have surpassed their grandparents, the Boomers, in overall cannabis sales. As more and more of them turn 21 in the coming years we can expect sales will explode. And as we know, Gen Z looks a lot like the Millennials on social and political issues. They’re more likely to understand the racist history of the ‘War on Drugs’ and less likely to buy into the ‘Reefer Madness’ older generations were sold.

What we don’t know is how quickly we’ll continue to move towards the middle path we predicted for cannabis marketers in the first edition of the FADS Marketing book.

They've got their hooks in you. 

FADS rise quickly, burn hot and fall out. They say you're fat, you're no fun, you need to relax, and you might even die alone.

In fact, FADS bank on the fact that you already believe all of that. 

Ready to learn how it works?

Buy the Book

Related Posts

The Hidden Power of the Middle
Learn how marketers leverage the middle to drive consumer choices, strategically positioning balanced options to maximize profits and appeal to our desire for moderation.
The Quick Fix: Shaping Modern Consumer Behavior
Learn how marketers exploit our desire for instant gratification by leveraging our data, shaping consumer behavior and driving habits through personalized recommendations, limited-time offers, and instant rewards.
Back To Top