At Terrapin Care Station, a Denver dispensary on Broadway, area manager Adam Shepler stood behind a counter displaying an array of more than 20 low-dose cannabis products: gummies, patches, drinks, topical lotions, tinctures, a vape and a powder.
Most of them were recently released. Though Shepler has fielded customer interest in low-dose products for years, he’s now interacting with more newcomers seeking holistic anxiety relief — and the industry is responding. Soon, the shop on Broadway will also carry flower that’s half CBD, half THC.
“As more consumers have been demanding this, you’re seeing more companies cater to that market,” Shepler said.
In Colorado, several cannabis companies — Dialed In Gummies, Wana Brands and Sun Theory Holding Co. among them — are part of a burgeoning trend of catering to clientele who don’t want their marijuana so strong. The move to provide more low-dose products allows them to access new market demographics, such as inexperienced cannabis users and people battling anxiety or sleep problems.
Those customers want the benefits of bud without an overwhelming high.
The pivot comes at a time of change for the cannabis industry. More Americans say they’re using weed on a daily basis than alcohol, and recreational cannabis is legal in 24 states and Washington, D.C. At the national level, outgoing President Joe Biden’s administration has put into motion the reclassification of marijuana from a Schedule I to a less dangerous Schedule III drug, which would help the industry financially — although progress has been delayed.
However, in Colorado, cannabis companies say they’re contending with challenges like over-regulation, dropping prices and plummeting sales. And recent headlines have the public talking about health issues resulting from long-term weed use, with The New York Times bringing attention to cannabis use disorder last month.
But a strategy that’s helping cannabis companies expand their appeal is the development of less potent products.
“Product development and evolving consumer trends have been a cornerstone of Colorado cannabis since legalization,” said Truman Bradley, the CEO and executive director of the Marijuana Industry Group. “Low-dose cannabis products are one of the products in demand right now.”
Low-dose edibles take off
While some companies are still focused on making weed as potent as possible for their core demographics, others are trying to bridge the gap with underserved customers by playing with the ratios of cannabinoids in their products.
Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the predominant cannabinoid that gets users high. Other common cannabinoids are CBD, which helps with anxiety, nausea and inflammation; CBG, a mood enhancer; and CBN, which serves as a sleep aid.
Dialed In Gummies was established in Denver in 2020 as Colorado’s first gummy that uses rosin, a cannabis concentrate that goes through a more refined process than the standard THC distillate, said president Max Vansluys.
“Our gummies … tend to be a bit stronger than the typical 10-milligram dose,” Vansluys added.
H/T: www.denverpost.com
