Cannabis loyalty isn’t built on THC, it’s built on trust

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Magnus Thorsson (Courtesy photo)

The cannabis industry may be chasing the same dead-end strategy the alcohol industry abandoned after prohibition: competing almost entirely on strength while ignoring the much larger market of consumers seeking trust, predictability and socially functional experiences.

In the years immediately following the repeal of alcohol prohibition in 1933, the market was dominated by hard liquor and high-proof spirits.

That made sense.

During prohibition, concentrated alcohol was easier to transport, easier to hide and more profitable within illicit supply chains. Consumers learned to associate strength with value because black-market conditions rewarded efficiency, concealment and intoxication.

How is the cannabis industry’s evolution similar to alcohol’s?

But something important happened once alcohol moved into a regulated, mainstream environment.

The market evolved.

Over time, consumer demand expanded beyond experienced drinkers seeking maximum potency. Beer, wine, cocktails, dining culture, hospitality and lifestyle consumption emerged as the true engines of long-term market growth.

The winners were not simply those selling the strongest product; they were the operators who built trusted experiences, social rituals and products aligned with how ordinary people actually wanted to live.

Cannabis today appears to be standing at a similar inflection point.

For much of the legal era, cannabis has operated with a prohibition-era mindset. THC percentage became the dominant measure of value because the early market was largely built around legacy consumers and experienced users transitioning from illicit markets.

In many dispensaries, product menus still function primarily as potency catalogs where consumers are encouraged to compare percentages rather than experiences.

This approach helped establish the initial legal market, but it may not be the strategy that grows the next phase of the industry.

How can operators ensure cannabis appeals to mainstream consumers?

The future of cannabis likely depends less on maximizing intoxication and more on normalizing predictable, repeatable and socially functional experiences for mainstream consumers.

That consumer already exists.

They are the curious professional who wants to unwind without losing clarity. The 55-year-old returning consumer who has not used cannabis since college. The wellness-oriented customer seeking relaxation, sleep support, social ease or stress reduction without becoming overwhelmed. The consumer replacing part of their evening alcohol ritual with something perceived as gentler or more controllable.

Many of these consumers are not searching for the strongest flower in the store. In fact, high-potency products often create barriers to adoption because they increase uncertainty, anxiety and fear of negative experiences.

One of the most overlooked realities in cannabis is that mainstream consumers often evaluate products very differently than early adopters.

A seasoned cannabis enthusiast may interpret 32% THC as exciting. A new or returning consumer may interpret it as intimidating.

Similarly, strain descriptions built around genetics and hype culture — “crosses of Gelato and Zkittlez with euphoric effects and candy aromas” — may resonate with experienced consumers but often fail to answer the most important question mainstream users are asking:

“What will this actually feel like for me?”

How important is the potency of cannabis?

This distinction matters because long-term loyalty is rarely built on potency alone. Loyalty is built on trust, predictability and emotional confidence in the consumer experience.

The alcohol industry eventually learned this lesson.

Consumers do not order wine because it has the highest alcohol content. They do not select craft beer based on proof. Restaurants do not build beverage programs entirely around maximum intoxication. Instead, successful alcohol brands learned to segment products around occasions, moods, rituals, identity and lifestyle compatibility.

Cannabis is only beginning that transition.

This is where a significant market opportunity may emerge for operators willing to evolve ahead of the broader industry.

The next major growth category in cannabis may not simply be another higher-potency SKU. It may be experience architecture.

Operators who can reduce confusion, guide dosage expectations, simplify decision-making and create repeatable outcomes may be positioned to capture the next wave of mainstream adoption.

Low-dose products, balanced cannabinoid formulations, microdosed beverages, wellness-oriented pre-rolls and experience-based merchandising systems may ultimately prove more scalable for long-term consumer retention than a perpetual potency race.

Is there still a market for high-THC products?

Importantly, this is not an argument against high-THC products. There will always be a market for experienced consumers seeking intensity, much like there remains a market for premium whiskey and high-proof spirits.

The larger question is whether cannabis operators are building systems designed only for existing enthusiasts or whether they are preparing for broader cultural adoption needed for a sustainable market.

History suggests that industries transitioning from prohibition to normalization eventually reward those who build accessibility, consistency and trust.

Cannabis beverages offer one of the clearest examples of this transition already underway.

Much like beer and cocktails normalized alcohol consumption within hospitality and social environments, low-dose cannabis beverages are increasingly positioned around moderation, sociability and lifestyle integration rather than extreme intoxication. These products often feel more familiar to mainstream consumers because they fit existing behavioral rituals.

The same pattern is emerging across wellness-focused cannabis products: balanced THC, CBD formulations and products emphasizing functionality over sheer potency.

Yet much of the industry’s retail infrastructure still communicates through the language of prohibition-era enthusiasts.

THC percentage remains the dominant shelf signal. Product education is inconsistent. Budtender turnover remains high. Menus often overwhelm rather than guide.

This creates a disconnect between where the market currently operates and where future growth may come from.

How can the cannabis industry attract new consumers?

The operators who recognize this shift early may have an opportunity similar to those who helped transform alcohol from an illicit commodity into a socially integrated lifestyle category.

That transformation was not driven purely by stronger products. It was driven by segmentation, hospitality, branding, ritual formation, moderation and consumer confidence.

Cannabis may ultimately follow the same path.

Companies that act on these lessons early may be best positioned to shape the industry’s next era.

Magnus Thorsson, Ph.D., is the founder of Rhode Island-based Canna Curious and a professor of cannabis entrepreneurship at Johnson & Wales University.