With 2015 getting the credit for bringing cannabis to the mainstream, many cannabis moments caught our fancy. This post from Leafly has put together the five leading cannabis trends that gained most popularity.
2015 has the unique perspective of being one of the first years that cannabis really came into the mainstream. Since Washington and Colorado legalized in 2012, two more states and a district have followed suit, and as the newness of the situation wears off, the murky outline of regulations are slowly coming into focus, along with some very fun, new cannabis trends.
Here are five trends we noticed that gained popularity throughout 2015. We can’t wait to see what next year brings to cannabis culture!
Top Shelf Edible Options
Washington and Colorado stepped up their edibles game this year, and boy, did edible-lovers reap the rewards. Legal cannabis markets are producing a variety of infused edibles beyond the standard “pot brownie,” making this modern era of edibles consumption more exciting, diverse, and healthy than ever before.
The best part about legally regulated marijuana is that controlling the dosage for a particularly delicious and potent cannabis meal is a cinch. Recreational packages are required to label the amount of THC and CBD in the products so you know exactly how much you’re consuming, whether you’re sitting down for some delicious infused snacks prepared by celebrity chef Mindy Segal, or munching on a single serving edible before your movie starts.
If you’re looking for some quick tips to make your edible experience the best it can be, check out our Edibles 101 Guide for everything you ever wanted to know about safe and delicious edible consumption.
Sex and Cannabis
Ooh la la! Now that people everywhere are coming out of the cannabis closet and proclaiming their love of cannabis to the world, another hot new trend is coming up, and it’s happening in the bedroom. It may come as no surprise to the experienced cannabis consumer, but for a novice, the combination of sex and cannabis is a sexy mindblower. Incorporating cannabis into your bedroom play can really spice things up and enhance the pleasure for both you and your partner. Along with general consumption, there are now a wide array of infused lotions and massage oils to help you take your experience to an even higher level.
Yoga and Cannabis
Like a match made in heaven, cannabis and yoga complement each other perfectly. Yoga is all about quiet meditation and contemplation, and it’s easy to find a strain that will help you achieve enlightenment. Not only that, but those stretches feel amazing with cannabis in your system, and it’s a breeze to lull yourself in a quiet, focused meditative state.
There are a few best practices to keep in mind if you’re going to try the combination to make sure that your cannabis and yoga pairing ends in blissful serenity. Add a little calming music to your yoga routine to increase your positive vibrations and you’ll find yourself in nirvana in no time. Namaste!
Cannabis at Weddings
2015 saw the first (but probably not the last) “cannabis bar” at one happy couple’s giddy wedding party. The wedding took place in Oregon, but with more states eyeing legalization, this trend could truly take off next year. This cannabis bar was housed in a separate tent from the reception and included pipes, rolling papers, a variety of strains, water, snacks, and a dedicated budtender from a local dispensary, Nectar. Not only that, but with free transportation provided for guests, these wedding planners thought of it all.
Pesticides and Accountability
Colorado’s cannabis industry experienced its first real scare this year when Colorado cannabis products were found to be tainted with dangerously high levels of pesticides used during the cultivation process. This sounds awful and it’s clearly not good to consume dangerous chemicals, but it will truly be a good thing in the long run. Colorado’s comprehensive regulations overlooked a serious detail – safety testing and pesticide bans.
Luckily for cannabis consumers, conscientious cannabis businesses recognized the importance of regular safety testing and were able to catch the products and pull them from shelves to keep from sickening customers. This led to an investigation by the Denver Department of Health, a recall on affected products, and even an executive order from Governor John Hickenlooper on public health threats due to pesticide contamination. The state is now actively pursuing legislation to ban pesticides that are not fit for human consumption.
Regulatory oversight and quality control checks in place mean that Colorado cannabis is safer than ever. This will go down as a lesson to the cannabis community and serve as a prime example of how legalization is the best move you can make for safer cannabis.
