Cheech & Chong’s Hemp Beverage Bet
July 14, 2026
Cheech & Chong may be one of the most recognizable names in cannabis, but that doesn’t mean they can rely on nostalgia to sell beverages.
Cheech & Chong may be one of the most recognizable names in cannabis, but that doesn’t mean they can rely on nostalgia to sell beverages.
The THC beverage market is still defining itself. Some brands are positioning THC drinks as mainstream non-alcoholic beverages, chasing mass retail chains like Target and Circle K.
In 2023, Minnesota enacted a law allowing hemp products to be sold in retail stores outside a dispensary through special licensing. Liquor stores in general must abide by a strict list of items they can sell, and when the law passed, it gave them a much-needed lifeline as alcohol sales continued to decline.
A wave of infused beverage brands flooded the market over the last few years. Now, the sector has entered a period of settling and reassessment, as operators pause to evaluate the real opportunity and determine the smartest path forward amid ongoing legal uncertainty.
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