For many years, the alcohol and cannabis markets were bitterly divided—an “us or them” mentality permeating the industries. But with the rise of the THC drink space and the boom of the “California sober” trend, the two industries have become more closely associated in the public eye.
Many Americans are eschewing alcohol, looking toward N/A alternatives. Meanwhile, the THC drink space has seen explosive growth, with major retailers like Total Wine creating space for hemp beverages in thousands of stores across the country.
If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.
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This new symbiosis was on full display at this week’s Access Live conference in Aurora, Colorado. Presented by the Wine and Spirits Wholesalers of America (WSWA), the event is geared toward distributors and brands looking to make connections while bringing new and innovative products to market. Everything from “pickle shots” to sparkling Japanese sake was on display, but the Hemp Beverage Neighborhood had many people talking.
“We believe that this community and our community are going to be one community in the future,” Francis Creighton, president and CEO of WSWA, told the crowd during a hemp beverage meet-and-greet. “We can see how fast things are moving. We believe fundamentally these are products that fit in this world and can really be the future of an industry.”
Christopher Lackner, founder and president of the Hemp Beverage Alliance (HBA), shared that they had one standard booth at his trade organization’s first WSWA expo. In 2025, THC drinks took up a considerable share of the show flow, with nearly two dozen brands showcasing multiple SKUs.
“We cannot express enough how important it is and how incredibly honored we are to be welcomed into (this) community,” Lackner said of the WSWA.
“Alcohol has a very long and strong history of good stewardship of the adult beverage category, (having) spent years and years working with every stakeholder to create an industry that is safe, transparent, and allows businesses to thrive. We want to follow in your footsteps,” Lackner added.
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A vision for mutual expansion
Speaking with exhibitors in the Hemp Beverage Neighborhood, many said alcohol distributors paid them little attention in the past as they believed THC drinks were a passing fad. Upon seeing the category’s explosive growth, they’re now hungry to find new products to satisfy demand.
John Dugas, founder of cannabis emulsion maker Superior Molecular, was thrilled to see the hemp footprint at WSWA. He and his Minnesota-based business helped lobby for the groundbreaking hemp laws the state enacted in 2022. The majority of states keep cannabis and alcohol production, sales, and consumption separate. In the Land of 10,000 Lakes, brewers can also make THC drinks—and serve them on tap.
“We built the model in Minnesota for alcohol and cannabis to not just coexist but successfully work together,” Dugas told GreenState. “It’s great to see so many brands from across the nation two and a half years later developing into successful businesses. We’re really proud to have played a role in that.”
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With the hemp space evolving, alcohol distributors are becoming more discerning in terms of what appeals to them and their retailer partners.
“The larger distros that have maybe been on the sidelines taking a ‘wait and see,’ I think they’re coming to the fold with intentionality,” explained Benjamin Kennedy, CEO of Fable.
Kennedy and his co-founder (and wife) Kristin Bahnsen specifically created Fable as a brand meant to appeal to a mature audience—something they believe blends seamlessly with other products in the broader adult beverage category.
“We’ve had distros say this week, ‘This looks like an adult drink—that’s important to us,’” Kennedy added.
Weed & alcohol: a sustainable alliance
Looking around at WSWA Access Live and at many liquor stores across the country, it’s clear that THC drinks are here to stay. The market achieved 143 percent growth year-over-year in 2023 and is expected to reach a global value of $117 billion by 2032.
The popularity of weed drinks makes sense, as beverages are a familiar, non-threatening way to consume cannabis. While the alcohol sector may have previously seen pot as a threat to their empire, it seems as though the space is now starting to embrace the plant as a way to reach consumers and drive sales.
