The Las Vegas Sun quoted Strategies 64 partner Jordan Wellington in its coverage of a policy discussion he moderated at the Cannabis Policy Institute at UNLV. The conversation featured Dr. Robin Goldstein, director of the Cannabis Economics Group at UC Davis, regarding his recent report for CPI on the national cannabis market and future of the industry following federal legalization.
With the event taking place in Las Vegas, much of the conversation focused on Nevada’s preparedness to participate in a future interstate cannabis market.
“Nevada has a foundation with lots of great cannabis businesses here that is primed to be built on, primed for growth, in the sense that there’s a much bigger market here that is servable,” said panel moderator Jordan Wellington, a partner at a consulting firm focused on cannabis.
It also touched on the issue of social consumption and how cannabis will (or will not) be integrated into popular social environments.
Part of breaking through is getting past the current image people associate with current marijuana consumption lounges and normalizing its use in other places, panelists said.
“It turns out you can smoke it on the street. You can eat an edible before you go out. No one’s interested in that. What people are interested in is socialization,” Wellington said, adding that there is a need for activities alongside consumption.
Goldstein said the same, joking that Allegiant Stadium wasn’t referred to as an “alcohol consumption lounge.”
“When you look at entertainment and hospitality, it’s not about what the product is that’s being consumed there. It’s about the entertainment experience,” he said. “Until (marijuana is) just viewed as a complementary part of other experiences, and it’s not a single-purpose establishment, I think it’s always going to be limited in its growth.”
