[ibimage==34145==Large==none==self==ibimage_align-center]
It was only a matter of time for the marijuana industry.
Head shops have officially gone high-end and digital. Los Angeles-based Glasshous (currently a member of Canopy Boulder's spring class) is aiming to be the first online store for the modern marijuana user as a curated marketplace of marijuana accessories.
You're right, it's buying pipes online is nothing new. There are plenty of them on Amazon.com and, while sellers are non-specific about what their product should be used for, pricing and availability match expectations. But what Glasshous is doing is different — they're focusing on quality and style, hoping to snag the interest of a new, modern consumer.
Think of it like this. When marijuana was illegal, accessories were sold in head shops — to the sorts of people who visit head shops. As marijuana loses its stigma, the people buying marijuana accessories are changing. Glasshous is betting there is a market for high-end products that don't look like they were forged in the depths of a Grateful Dead concert.
[ibimage==34151==Original==none==self==ibimage_align-left]
For example, Glasshous offers a hand-sanded, Bolivian rosewood dugout, polished with carnauba wax and lined in cork — for $95. They promise the "subtly striped Bolivian rosewood will darken richly with time and use."
At that price, I should hope so.
But that is a far cry from this tie-dyed, pressed wood alternative for sale on Amazon for $8.99. But hey, the one on Amazon advertises that it ‘will not splinter or rot.’
You get the picture.
Times are changing rapidly in the cannabis industry. Back in 2003, Tommy Chong (of Cheech and Chong) was sentenced to 9 months in prison for selling bongs on the Internet. Yet last year, the cannabis industry grew by 74 percent.
The legalized cannabis industry has huge growth potential. Last year, the industry took in $2.7 billion, with California (49%) and Colorado (30%) taking home the lion's share. So far 4 states have legalized retail marijuana - Colorado, Washington, Alaska and Oregon. Ten more states are considering legalizing it in the next couple of years. One study, by The ArcView Group, suggests that if all states were to legalize it, the industry would grow to over $36 billion a year -- higher than the organic food industry.
What a long, strange trip it's been.
Have a tip for us or know of a company that deserves coverage? Email us via [email protected]
