Marijuana Consumers Are More Likely To Shop At Target Following Decision To Sell Cannabis-Infused Drinks, Poll Shows

Marijuana consumers are encouraged by Target’s decision to start selling THC beverages at select locations—and a majority says the marketing move makes them more likely to shop at the retail giant’s stores—according to a new poll.

The survey from the cannabis telehealth platform NuggMD asked cannabis users about the news from Target, which recently launched a pilot program to provide infused drink brands for adults at certain stores across Minnesota.

In light of the development, respondents were asked: “Does knowing this make you more likely to shop at Target in the future?”

A total of 50.5 percent said they would be more likely—though that notably includes 34.4 percent who said they’d only be more inclined to patronize Target if their local store carried the THC beverages. Another 16.1 percent said “yes” because they “want to support the retailer more now regardless of which locations sell the products.”

About half of respondents (49.5 percent) said Target’s embrace of a THC drink pilot program wouldn’t affect where they shop.

“What the poll shows should be pretty intuitive to all big-box retailers: Selling products that contain hemp-derived THC, which is currently federally legal, will bring more cannabis consumers into those stores,” Andrew Graham, head of communications at NuggMD, told Marijuana Moment.

“By responsibly selling hemp-derived THC products, Target is kind of doing what Congress still won’t, which is providing access to THC to adults who want or need it,” he said. “I hope the company expands the pilot program nationally. While I myself am more of a buy-local consumer, it’s still great to see such a ubiquitous national retailer make these products available.”

The survey involved interviews with 285 cannabis consumers from October 16-27, with a +/-5.8 percentage point margin of error.

This comes as Congress continues to debate legislation to recriminalize hemp-derived products with a quantifiable amount of THC, and as states across the country continue to evaluate their own laws.

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A GOP senator said this week he’s willing to hold up spending legislation to end the ongoing government shutdown if Congress attempts to move forward with a controversial plan to ban hemp products containing THC—though he’s warning there’s a “real danger” he won’t prevail. As such, he argues that it’s imperative for the industry make its voice heard on Capitol Hill over the coming days.

“I’ve also told them—and I think they believe me—that we can do this the easy way or the hard way. The easy way is I give my consent, and the hard way is I don’t,” Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) said, adding that he’s put forward alternative language to require a study and report on state regulatory models for hemp that could inform future revisions to the federal law.

Meanwhile, a bipartisan coalition of 39 state and territory attorneys general recently called on Congress to clarify the federal definition of hemp and impose regulations preventing the sale of intoxicating cannabinoid products.

Separately, a subsidiary of a multi-state marijuana company is suing DoorDash, Total Wine and several other businesses for allegedly violating Virginia hemp laws by marketing cannabis products that exceed the legal THC limit.

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