Several years ago, the prospect of legal cannabis was an exciting, progressive idea that many figured might end up an unfulfilled pipe dream. Today, legal cannabis is commonplace. Nearly half of the states in the US have legal cannabis in some capacity. Many states embrace the healing qualities of cannabis through medicinal marijuana. Other governments went even further, legalizing cannabis recreationally as well. This is progress for everyone from hardcore stoners to those who imbibe once in a blue moon and those in between. However, many are still dissatisfied with the legal status of cannabis in the United States. High taxes, strict regulations, and competing state and federal laws complicate matters considerably. Cannabis enjoyers look forward to a day when they can finally smoke with total peace of mind. But when that day arrives, what will it look like? What is the future of cannabis?
Few things go together better than getting high and speculation. Typically, when one is stoned, discussion among friends ranges from spirited debates about whether a hot dog is actually a sandwich to deep philosophical quandaries. No matter how useless some of these stoned thoughts may seem, the art of speculation stretches the brain. It is an exercise in critical thinking that broadens our horizons to see the world in an extraordinarily different way. Today, we apply speculative thinking to the world of legal cannabis. What exciting new applications, methods of ingestion, and potent products does the future hold for cannabis? Can cannabis impact how we interact with others in social settings and intimate moments? What medical marvels are hiding within this humble green plant? Although we aren’t fortune tellers, we want to share an optimistic vision about the future of cannabis.
Cutting-Edge Cannabis
As of 2023, a wide array of cannabis products are available for legal consumption. These range from good-old Mary Jane that one can purchase at a local dispensary to exciting new alternative cannabinoids. Cannabis compounds such as THC, CBD, THCa, Delta 8, Delta 10, HHC, and THC-O seem to offer an incredible wealth of riches for infusion into cannabis products. However, this is just scratching the surface. Scientists know of over 100 cannabinoids in cannabis, and some claim there may be well over 200. Furthermore, each cannabinoid affects the body slightly differently, and combining these cannabinoids adds another iteration of uniqueness.
We believe that someday, we will be able to analyze our brain and endocannabinoid system at the molecular level. This will allow companies to create products tailor-made for your body and the high you desire. Perhaps you want a super-chill vibe that lets you relax after a long week of work? Or do you and your friends want a jolt of energy during a night out on the town? Dispensaries will be able to mix the perfect proportions of cannabinoids on the fly that suit your needs perfectly. No more needing to worry that you’ll get way more baked than your friends or that you will feel different vibes from the high. You will always know what you are getting into. However, this revolutionary technology will extend far past the recreational.
Medicinal Revolution
One of the least studied parts of our body is the endocannabinoid system. As mentioned previously, this bodily system helps control how your body feels when you get high. However, this essential bodily system also regulates a litany of other functions, such as appetite, pain, sleep, anxiety, depression, and much more that science has yet to discover. Therefore, cannabinoids that companies tailor-made for your body can also work on the medical side.
Let’s say you have difficulty sleeping. Perhaps your upstairs neighbors are noisy, and you need a deep sleep every night. Maybe you get plenty of rest but aren’t getting the proper REM sleep to wake up refreshed. Potentially, you are taking a long trip and need help dozing off for a couple of hours. For each scenario, there will be a cannabis product explicitly designed for your body to achieve this goal. The possibilities for appetite suppression, eliminating chronic pain, and even helping your mental health will result in a medical revolution. And the best part, no side effects other than a pleasant high. You can say goodbye to chemical drugs and hello to all-natural cannabis. Considering the medicinal possibilities of cannabis in the future is genuinely mind-bending, but the future of cannabis will also materialize in our pastimes and leisure.
The Fun Future of Cannabis
It’s a Friday, and you just finished a long day of work. You get home and destress with a non-psychoactive cannabinoid blend that keeps your mind fresh, but your body relaxed. Picking up your phone, you make some plans with friends to meet up downtown. You grab a ride downtown and meet up with some friends at a bar, where they are offering cannabis-infused drinks. A hazy IPA with a tasteless infusion of relaxing cannabis never tasted so good. 
You grab another ride back home after food and a cannabis-infused ice cream dessert. You all decide you’ve had enough fun for one night and want to turn the vibes down. In a few short minutes, a cannabis delivery arrives by drone. Several fast-acting gummies are individualized to each of your endocannabinoid systems, designed to let you sink into the couch. A handfull of trippy TV episodes later, and it’s officially time to turn in. Just before you hop under the covers, you remember to take a cannabis pill designed to maximize your recovery and restfulness. You drift off into a pleasant sleep, excited for what possibilities cannabis holds tomorrow.
Legalized cannabis represents a new dawn for how we experience leisure time. No longer will you be a pariah for hanging out in public while high. There will now be products and spaces specifically catering to your stoned experience. The possibilities are nearly endless. From incredible medicinal qualities to just passing time, the future of cannabis is bright. Although it will take some time for the world to fully embrace cannabis, once it does, it will change the planet.