Beer Vs. Weed: Should Brewers Be Worried About Legalized Marijuana?
With the legalization of marijuana steadily sweeping the nation in a foggy haze, the beer industry is biting its nails with anticipation. Is it just paranoia? The numbers and worried talk at this week's Beer Industry Summit in New Orleans suggest otherwise. Quartz reports, however, that it might be a little early for beer to be shaking in its boots. Beer sales still far surpass those of marijuana — the legal kind, anyway. In 2015, Food Republic's own investigation found that after one year of legalization, legit Mary Jane had not negatively affected craft beer sales in Colorado. Only time will tell which indulgence will reign supreme. Here's a breakdown of what current beer and weed sales could mean for the future:
Beer
Sales
Brings in $101 billion every year. In 2014, craft beer sales went up 17.6 percent, with overall beer rising 0.5 percent.
The beneficiaries
Pretzels, nuts, bottles, cans
Drawbacks
Beer bellies, hangovers, ill-advised hookups
Weed
Sales
In 2014, Americans spent $2.7 billion on weed, up 74 percent from 2013. It's estimated that sales could increase to $10.8 billion by 2019.
The beneficiaries
Pretty much all food and restaurants
Drawbacks
Anxiety, dry mouth... oh, and what were we talking about?