The Biggest Cannabis Trends of 2016 Can Continue In 2020

The Different Ways to Make Money in the Marijuana Industry from CannabisNet on Vimeo.

It’s been the biggest year for cannabis ever, but we still have a long way to go and lots of work to do! Aside from the fact that recreational use was legalized this year in many states, let’s take a look back at the many interesting trends in cannabis use that we saw in 2016:

Luxury artisan edibles: Défoncé Chocolatier from Oakland made their debut and is one of the first businesses whose aim is to make dosing easier through product design. 1906, a startup founded by Peter Barsom, is a high-end line of low-dose chocolate edibles created by cannabis experts together with chocolatiers and scientists. Coda’s Signature Truffles are beautifully handmade chocolates created by Lauren Gockley, a chocolatier who used to work as a pastry chef at New York’s Per Se by Thomas Keller. Lord Jones by Robert Rosenheck quickly became a favorite among discerning Californian potheads because of their superior handmade chocolate edibles produced in small batches.

Cannabis and religion: In the spring of 2016, the Jewish community in Oregon rejoiced when the first official cannabis seder was launched. San Francisco and Los Angeles also saw the growth of “pot shabbats”. Mormon twins Aaron and Nathan Frodsham are lobbying for medical marijuana in Utah to treat diseases, despite the strict anti-marijuana views of their church. The Orthodox Union in New York made medical marijuana kosher-certified. The First Cannabis Church of Logic and Reasoning opened their doors in Michigan, with the intention of eradicating the stigma that is associated with using cannabis.

Cannabis goes corporate: The marijuana industry is worth billions of dollars, but it wouldn’t be that way without some of the corporate world’s brightest minds smoking their genius into it. Today, it’s undeniable that marijuana has become a major part of the American business industry, and it’s proven to be so lucrative that it’s attracted some of the biggest names to go into the green zone. Some notable names include James Kennedy from Apothecanna (Aveda), Peter Bain from Pax (GoPro), and Alan Gertner from Tokyo Smoke (Apple).

Pot on TV: Early this year, Bill Maher toked up on television for on HBO’s Real Time. MTV followed suit with Mary + Jane weed-based sitcom. Martha and Snoop’s Potluck Dinner Party was released with a lot of buzz on VH1 although many were disappointed that the 2 didn’t actually get high together. We’re also looking forward to Highland, Margaret Cho’s show on Amazon which is still in development.

Star-studded cannabis strains: Celebrity strains are nothing new, although Leafs by Snoop paved the way back in the day. Today we’ve got Marley Natural, and Willie’s Reserve , but more stars are putting their names on different cannabis products, giving them the ganja touch. Tommy Chong released a line of high-grade medicinals, and even Hunter Thompson’s widow intends to create a line of pot products under the Gonzo brand.

Pot fashion: High fashion just got even better, with marijuana making an appearance on designer clothing. Alexander Wang’s Fall 2016 collection featured tons of marijuana leaves, one of which was worn by actress Margot Robbie on Saturday Night Live. Kendall Jenner and Gigi Hadid collaborated with Jacquie Aiche to create a cannabis-inspired collection. During SXSW, Jenny Lewis came out wearing a technicolor weed suit that wowed the crowd.

420 dining and events: Marijuana and food just go so well together, and Colorado knows how to do it right. From joint and sushi rolling classes to upscale dining with pot, Colorado has something for everyone. Kendall Norris made a name for herself in Boulder where she redefined how we enjoy fine dining and cannabis with Mason Jar Events. In California, Chris Sayegh made headlines throughout the year with his delicious infused foods, and Chris Yang has been making waves in the food scene too. In New York, Miguel Trinidad treats residents with secret-pop up dinners with the aim of spreading marijuana culture.

High fitness: This year, stoned workout have become increasingly popular especially with more people finally embracing the many benefits that cannabis can bring to your workout. Stoned yoga events are all the buzz, and the NFL’s Ricky Williams intends to add cannabis to your workout routine with the development of his Power Plant Fitness project which he’s doing as a joint effort with Jim McAlpine. The two are also responsible for the 420 Games which will expand to 10 cities by next year.

Certified pesticide-free cannabis: Consuming pot that’s been grown with pesticides will just negate all the health benefits you can obtain from the plant. Pesticide use has long been a sticky issue, but for the first time ever the Organic Cannabis Association in Colorado created a certification for pesticide-free cannabis.

Cannabis skincare and beauty products: Marijuana and hemp has been used since ancient times not just for its medicinal properties but also for its beautifying qualities. Big name brands like Dr. Bronner’s and The Body Shop have long been using it as an ingredient in their skincare line, and this year we saw an explosion of even more products from creams to blotting papers.

What were your favorite cannabis trends of 2016? Share with us in the comments below!

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