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The Coca-Cola company said on Monday that it "was watching closely" the increasing use of an element of cannabis in beverages, another sign that cannabis and cannabis products are more and more accepted in traditional culture. .
The beverage giant was in talks with a Canadian cannabis company to create a health drink infused with cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive natural compound derived from the cannabis plant. Shares of the company, Aurora Cannabis Inc., closed close to 17% on the Toronto Stock Exchange after the report.
Business spokesmen declined to comment on the report but acknowledged their interest in this segment of the cannabis market.
Cannabidiol, or CBD, does not produce marijuana most often. Many believe they have anti-inflammatory and anti-pain properties, and many CBD-infused products have emerged recently.
Aurora spokesperson Heather MacGregor said her company "has shown a special interest in the infused beverage industry and we intend to enter this market."
A spokesman for Coke said the beverage giant had not made a decision.
"With many others in the beverage industry, we are closely watching the growth of non-psychoactive CBD as an ingredient in functional wellness beverages across the globe. Space is changing rapidly, "said Kent Landers, Coke spokesperson.
Coke's interest is another indication of the growing acceptance of cannabis by established companies and the importance of Canada for the development of these companies. Marijuana becomes legal everywhere in Canada on October 17th. Cannabis companies in the United States – where marijuana remains illegal at the federal level – have flocked to Canada to raise money and establish businesses.
American companies interested in making a room in the cannabis space can try in Canada without risking doing something illegal at home.
Constellation Brands, a giant spirits company with Corona beer among its labels, has bought a multi-billion dollar minority stake in Canopy Growth, a Canadian medical marijuana producer.
Coca-Cola's statement shows that the company has learned from past mistakes to take into account new trends in beverages, said Ali Dibadj, an analyst at AllianceBernstein, specializing in US beverage and snack companies.
"The company was caught off guard in the past by not following the trends in beverages. They missed the phenomenon of energy drinks, they missed – and then had to buy – functional waters like vitamin water and coffee, "said Dibadj. "I think what they say is what they should say about this new and emerging drink."
But testing the waters of cannabis-themed drinks could turn against him, he added. Many Americans are not intimately familiar with the cannabis plant and may not understand that CBD has no psychoactive properties.
Hemp and marijuana are both cannabis plants, and both contain CBD, which can be extracted in the form of oil that can be added to everything from dog food to hand lotion by the way by the drinks.
"I think you have to be very, very careful with that as a big brand. There are different points of view on a product category and you do not want to offend yourself, "said Dibadj. "You do not want to be too far ahead of any curve."
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Flaccus is a member of AP's marijuana team. Follow her on Twitter at https://twitter.com/gflaccus. Follow the full coverage of AP Marijuana: https://apnews.com/tag/LegalMarijuana
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