With the increasing excitement over legal marijuana comes a nagging concern in the back of our minds about a big business takeover of the plant. We’ve all seen the homogenization of the alcohol and tobacco industries, and to see the same happen with cannabis would be a shame.
However, that may easily be the road we’re facing, especially if the tobacco industry changes course and sets their eyes on weed. Green Entrepreneur listed some reasons as to why that may be the case.
For one, tobacco continues its descent in public approval. Its association with a health decline is front and center whenever the topic is broached, and the idea of a time when you could smoke on planes or indoor areas is almost absurd.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has stated that in 2005, 20.9% of adults smoked tobacco. This has decreased dramatically to 14% in 2019, with no signs of a floor. So as the tobacco industry continues to see people dropping their cigarettes for a hit of their friend’s joint, they’ll want to do the same.
But the largest reason for the incoming breach is it’s an easy adjustment for the industry. To make waves in a business that has been around for a couple decades now, you need money, which the tobacco industry has plenty of.
A warm climate with plenty of space is needed for marijuana, as is with tobacco. We’ve even seen some African countries who have historically relied on tobacco exports turn their eyes to marijuana in the recent years. It won’t take much for tobacco companies to make the switch, when they decide the time is right.
Read the original article here, and keep your eyes out for some Marlboro pre-rolls.
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