If there's one thing that can be said with certainty about the weed industry, it's that there's never a dull moment. In 2023, that trend will continue as this relatively young industry forges ahead in the face of a possible recession, continued oversupply, and price compression, all while honing in on what consumers actually want and need.

Below, we asked dozens of industry professionals about what they think will be the big trends and developments in cannabis this year. Here are a few of the most common themes.

Price compression and oversupply will continue

Last year was challenging for much of the industry. The impressive growth seen in 2020 and 2021 did not continue in the same ways in 2022. Markets became increasingly saturated, capital became increasingly hard to come by, and oversupply put downward pressure on prices. These trends are predicted to continue this year.

“As we are experiencing oversupply, we need to make tough business decisions," said Lilach Mazor Power, president of the board at Arizona Dispensaries Association. "How do we bring more customers to try cannabis? How do we differentiate ourselves, and how do we stay profitable? How do we compete with the illicit market?"

“It's the end of an era," shared Kenny Morrison, Founder of CQ. "In many instances, the price compression in the regulated market is now surpassing the low prices in the illicit market, making it tough for any brands or retailers to do well — regulated or not. I think a lot of trade organizations and people still want to blame the illicit market, but it's a commoditized race to the bottom now that the risk premium associated with gray area or illegal activity has been removed."

Consolidation will continue, but at a slowed pace

Mergers and acquisitions (M&As) have been a hot arena in cannabis, with large multi-million dollar deals being the norm. In some markets, mergers and acquisitions have been a driving growth strategy for cannabis businesses. Still, many feel that's not poised to continue, as capital has become hard to come by.

Masha Ty, who works in corporate growth and education at ACS Laboratory, said, “Consolidation can be a good sign because it means the industry is maturing, and many of the surviving brands are creating high-quality, lab-tested products. However, the process also eliminates some well-intentioned craft brands that unfortunately can't compete as flower prices drop, and regulations become more complex."

On-site weed consumption will continue to evolve in 2023

(Gina Coleman/Weedmaps)

This year will see new ways to shop for and consume cannabis, with unique and immersive experiences leading the charge in the wake of the pandemic.

• Consumption lounges: “Lounges will change the game," said Mason Palmer, the co-founder of Smoke Honest. "Through thoughtful design, art, and experiential spaces, cannabis lounges will encourage safe, thoughtful consumption and give thanks back to the plant. You're starting to see this in LA/NYC with places like The Woods (Woody Harrelson's shop and lounge), which contains a Koi pond, scenic lighting, and mood-setting furniture."
• Events: “When we went recreational, [California] did not build in outlets for consuming cannabis. But last year, we were seeing lots of informal pop-ups and smoke seshes at various venues around the city of LA that give a social and cultural outlet to weed smokers. In 2023 here in California, events and happenings are going to be huge," shared Dan Wilson, Editor at Visit Hollyweed.
• Retail: “Head shops will need to reinvent their customer experience," advised Palmer. "Consumers will have the ability to test products in lounges now, then purchase [them]. The mature markets like California, Colorado, and Oregon are craving a better experience and willing to pay for it."

Consumer sophistication will drive product differentiation and branding

“As cannabis markets mature, cannabis brands must diversify their product lines to distinguish themselves from their competition," said Ami Ikemoto, Executive Vice President of 22Red. "As more niche products enter the market, the consumer learns about the science and benefits and becomes more educated, thus pushing brands to continue to offer new and exciting products."

And with the stigma of cannabis lessening daily, there's been an uptick in unique products and more brands touting potential benefits. “We need to be constantly innovating, educating our customers, and building our community. People want brands that reflect their personal values, to feel that they are supporting the growth of companies who do more than simply sell products," said Lisa Harun, Chief Marketing Officer of Grenco Science.

More cannabinoids and plant actives will enter the market

The two big cannabinoids — THC and CBD — aren't going anywhere. And while cannabinoids like CBN and CBG aren't necessarily new, it's predicted they will gain more traction this year alongside other active compounds in cannabis like terpenes.

“CBD, CBN, and CBG products will become hot items across a varied consumer base," predicted Mike Zens, Chief Operating Officer at High Road Edibles. "Some consumers will become increasingly familiar with the benefits of those specific cannabinoids and seek them out for their healing properties. Others will find the novelty of ratio products appealing — something different from strain-based products."

Other herbal ingredients such as adaptogens, nootropics, and active compounds from other plants will also garner more attention from industry and consumers alike.

“Brands will not be able to compete solely on THC potency and price. They will need to offer their consumers more, such as products that produce specific effects like sleep, focus, pain relief, and creativity. These effects can be achieved by utilizing other cannabinoids, terpenes, and herbal supplements," shared Ikemoto.

Infused pre-rolls and beverages will make a splash

Pre-rolls steadily gained in popularity in 2022, with 2023 being predicted as the year of the infused pre-roll. The future success of beverages has been debated, but 2023 may be the year they make inroads with consumers.

• Infused pre-rolls: “If you like [infused pre-rolls], it's not necessarily something that's easy for you to create on your own," said Brandon Dorsky, Chief Operating Officer of Fruit Slabs. "You have to have a little bit of skill to roll your own well-infused joints. And I think that there will be market demand for it because some people will just never even acquire the skill, just like some people don't ever acquire the skill of being able to roll a joint. Even fewer people have the skill to roll a good infused pre-roll."
• Cannabis beverages: “Edibles, especially elixirs and beverages, will start coming into their own this year. The 'Cali sober' movement is real as younger generations wake up to the realization that alcohol is poison to humans. Once it's recognized that you can consume a substance the same way in a social setting with little to no side effects, the shift is obvious," said Lance Lambert, Chief Marketing Officer at Grove Bags.

Not much will happen federally, but state legalization will continue

There is a lot going on at the state level in 2023. In the likely absence of any movement at the federal level, states will continue to create medical and adult-use markets of their own.

“Little is going to happen in 2023 with the shift in majority parties in the House and Senate," said Jacquie Cohen Roth, MS, Founder and CEO of CannabizMD. "Federal legislation will not be a priority, but there is a priority for the executive branch per Biden's announcement in October 2022 asking the Department of Health and Human Services to review cannabis's current Schedule 1 status."

As for states, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Oklahoma, Ohio, and Hawaii are among the most buzzed about for potential adult-use legalization in 2023.

Consumers will want clean, safe, and sustainable weed more than ever

With consumer education on the rise around growing, extraction, and production methods, it is predicted that we will see increased demand for clean, safe, and sustainable cannabis this year.

“In many ways, we've seen the edibles cannabis vertical follow common food trends, and just as Americans have come to love their all-natural or organic products at the grocery store, cannabis consumers will seek out products made with solventless extracts and concentrates — even beyond edibles and into other products, like vapes. These products will be more expensive, but they'll definitely be sought after," said Zens.

"The subject of 'clean cannabis' will be a major focal point in 2023 for both cannabis consumers and cultivators," said Mark Clemons, General Manager of VJ Scientific. "There's a growing concern about all types of contamination that may be in our cannabis. As the industry becomes more mature and regulations evolve to assure safe products for all, we expect to see more uniformity and more stringent limits in test requirements."

There will be movement on unregulated hemp products and worker protections

Hemp regulations and worker protections will surge this year, as both movements gain media traction.

• Hemp regulations: “Intoxicating, unregulated, untrusted hemp products are being distributed through unlicensed retailers," said Adam Goers, Senior Vice President of Corporate Affairs at Columbia Care. "We're seeing smart adults being confused by that, not to mention that there are no age restrictions on [the products]. This problem has certainly bubbled up in the last 12 - 18 months as it had never had before. One prediction for 2023 is we're going to see legislation, regulation, and enforcement increasingly throughout the country."
• Worker protections: “Worker health and safety issues will plague the headlines — with no real recourse by those being harmed outside of costly litigation. Hopefully, this will encourage cannabis business owners to start investing the necessary resources to protect the people who show up every day to keep their businesses running. Expect ramped-up efforts from organized labor advocating for greater worker protections," said Lezli Engelking, Founder of the Foundation of Cannabis Unified Standards (FOCUS).

Scientific research will make big strides

The science of cannabis is constantly evolving, and there are exciting feats in store as cannabis research gets more funding across the board.

“In November 2022, the US Senate voted 'yes' to the Medical Marijuana and Cannabidiol Research Expansion Act, the first-ever marijuana-specific legislation to pass in decades," said Ty. "We expect the number of DEA research registrants to increase exponentially as a result, focused on areas like cancer, diabetes, epilepsy, and pain management."

Roth of CannabizMD agreed, saying, “Central to the Act are provisions that will streamline the application process for researchers and will also make it much easier for researchers to gain access to larger quantities of cannabis. This will have a considerable impact on how the majority of our healthcare providers view cannabis, with stigma and little to no scientific understanding. We'll see an increase in testing cannabis delivery methods and devices that will deliver much-needed research data."

The post What will 2023 spell for weed? 10 trends and predictions from cannabis professionals appeared first on Weedmaps News.

Before we dive into our favorite sleepy strains, a quick caveat: the best strains for sleep will be unique to your body. Chemical profiles will vary from product to product, grower to grower, and even harvest to harvest, which means there's no guarantee one gram of Northern Lights will be as effective as the next. Finding the right strain for you might take some trial and error, but hey, that's half of the fun! To set yourself up for success, save the cannabinoid and terpene details for each strain you try and keep note of how they affect you. 

Given what we know about how cannabinoids and terpenes contribute to a strain's effects, we've compiled a list of ten strains for sleep, each with various combinations for you to consider. Explore our picks below and keep scrolling for a detailed analysis of what makes a strain potentially sleepy. 

Filter strains by effect on the Weedmaps app

Northern Lights

One of the most popular indica strains of all time, Northern Lights is loved for its reported ability to relax the body and calm the mind.

Terpene profile: myrcene, caryophyllene, limonene, and pinene

Granddaddy Purple

Also known as "Granddaddy Purps" or "GDP," Granddaddy Purple is classically associated with a relaxing body experience. Bred in the early 2000s by crossing Purple Urkle and Big Bud, GDP has stood the test of time and remains a fairly popular strain for winding down.

Terpene profile: myrcene, caryophyllene, pinene, linalool, and humulene

God's Gift

A cross between Granddaddy Purple and OG Kush, this strain combines the best of the two strains' many uses to promote a general sense of well-being that can help folks kick back and relax.

Terpene profile: caryophyllene, terpinolene, myrcene, pinene, and limonene

Do-Si-Dos

Also known as "Dosi" or "Do-si-do," this strain from Oregon's Archive Strain Bank is an award winner that displays beautiful orange pistils nestled among green and purple leaves. Many report a potent full-body relaxation that helps them drift right to sleep.

Terpene profile: limonene, caryophyllene, linalool, myrcene, and pinene

Charlotte's Web

Charlotte's Web was among the first in a new era of CBD-dominant strains. It was created by Stanley Brothers to help manage seizures for the pediatric medical cannabis patient Charlotte Figi. Today, Charlotte's Web is one of the most recognized CBD strains that some people use for its deeply calming and soothing effects.

Terpene profile: myrcene, pinene, caryophyllene, andalpha-bisabolol

Romulan

For the Trekkies, Romulan is often included in the strains that were popular in the 1980s called "Blue Indicas" since they contain anthocyanin, a flavonoid that gives the plants their beautiful blue hue. Interestingly, anthocyanin is being studied for its ability to aid in sleep.

Terpene profile: myrcene, pinene, ocimene, and caryophyllene

Hindu Kush

Hindu Kush is a pure indica landrace strain, a group of ancient strains that evolved on their own without the intervention of human breeding techniques.

Hailing from the Hindu Kush mountain range in Afghanistan, it's another strain that's mostly known and loved for its reportedly calming effects and deep body relaxation.

Terpene profile: myrcene, caryophyllene, humulene, and limonene

Skywalker OG

One of this strain's parents, OG Kush, is a descendant of Hindu Kush and a well-reputed relaxing strain in its own right. Skywalker OG may offer a nice mood boost that settles into a very mellow and relaxed state.

Terpene profile: myrcene, caryophyllene, linalool, pinene, limonene

Blueberry

Blueberry's popularity has endured over decades and has captured many awards along the way. Its name is linked to its fresh and fruity aroma, along with its beautiful blue hue that may add to its calming effects.

Terpene profile: caryophyllene, humulene, pinene, and myrcene

Lilac Diesel

Lilac Diesel may harness the potential sleep benefits of terpinolene without being overly sedative, which makes for a good option for evening sessions. Developed by Ethos Genetics in Colorado, Lilac Diesel offers up purple hues with a fruity and minty aroma.

Terpene profile: terpinolene, caryophyllene, and ocimene

Cannabinoids and sleep

Cannabis and sleep have a long shared history, and many consumers know that sleepiness is not an uncommon experience when partaking. By personal accounts, indica strains are the first choice when it comes to relaxation and sleep.

So what is it about cannabis — or even a particular strain — that can make someone feel sleepy? Medical research offers mixed results, but it may be helpful to explore two active ingredients in cannabis: cannabinoids and terpenes.

Cannabinoids like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) are the primary active ingredients in cannabis. While there are over 100 different cannabinoids found in the cannabis plant family, THC and CBD are often the most abundant in any particular strain, as well as the most well-known and studied.

• THC: With short-term use, data suggests that THC may help some folks fall asleep faster and get more total and slow wave — or deep — sleep. However, the studies have been inconsistent. That same data also suggests that long-term use may disrupt deep sleep and decrease the amount of rapid-eye movement (REM) sleep we get, which is when we dream and when the brain carries out important processes related to learning, memory, and mood. It may also impact the ability to fall asleep and reduce one's total sleep time. It was also found that when regular cannabis consumers stopped using cannabis, they experienced sleep disturbances.
• CBD: Sleep and relaxation are a couple of the main reasons people seek out CBD. While many people use it for sleep, the question as to whether CBD is a sedative or not is nuanced. In small doses, it may have wakefulness-promoting effects, while high doses of CBD may induce sleepiness. For some consumers, CBD offers anti-anxiety and relaxation benefits, which can help them unwind.
• CBN: In recent years, CBN has become a popular cannabinoid for addressing sleep and restfulness. It can be found in many cannabis-derived sleep formulations, and while it has been shown to have sedative qualities in animals, we don't have enough research to determine if it is beneficial or has an effect in humans.

Mixing and dosing THC and CBD for sleep

Mixing CBD and THC has very limited data, but one small human trial in young adults showed that combining CBD and THC before bed reduced the duration of deep sleep. Still, the two also helped mitigate some of the feelings of sleepiness that THC alone produced the next day. One clinical trial among 23 adults in Australia showed that a proprietary blend of THC and CBD was useful in alleviating chronic insomnia.

And when it comes to dosing, one systematic review of the human trials done thus far suggests that lower doses of both CBD and THC may be better for sleep outcomes, but more research is needed before coming to any conclusions. This same review found that the existing data best supports the use of cannabis for sleep in patients with pain-related conditions, as opposed to those living with mental health symptoms or sleep disorders.

Terpenes and sleep

Terpenes are the flavor and aroma compounds found in cannabis and everywhere in nature, from the floral scent of lilac to the spicy notes you pick up in basil.

They have benefits of their own, and research is underway to discover more about the potential therapeutic uses for these compounds. Most of the evidence we have now comes from animal research, but increasing evidence points to several terpenes as having the potential to help us relax and get better sleep.

• Terpinolene: Terpinolene is commonly known by its presence in patchouli, and while it's less common in weed strains, even small amounts may offer some benefits. One study showed that when mice inhaled terpinolene, it offered sedative effects.
• Limonene: The bright and citrusy scent of limonene is uplifting, and it may have mood-boosting benefits for some consumers. Research also points to limonene's impact on improving sleep time and offering sedative effects.
• Myrcene: Myrcene is the most abundant terpene in cannabis, and you'll find it in many different strains. It's often synonymous with classically relaxing strains like OG Kush and Pineapple Express since it may offer sedative effects.
• Pinene: Both alpha- and beta-pinene seem to offer sleep benefits, with animal studies showing that they may help reduce the amount of time it takes to fall asleep while increasing the total amount of non-REM sleep. Alpha-pinene may also offer anti-anxiety and sedative effects, too.
• Caryophyllene: Caryophyllene — or beta-caryophyllene — is known for its spicy aromas and flavors. In addition to its potential anti-inflammatory properties, animal research on zebrafish suggests that it might also work as a sedative in high doses.
• Linalool: Classically known for the relaxing qualities it confers to lavender, linalool may impact sleep through its potential for relieving anxiety.
• Humulene: Most will know humulene for its presence in hops, but it's a common terpene you'll also find in basil, sage, and black pepper. It has been shown to have mild sedative qualities in animal studies.

While terpenes may offer us sleep benefits on their own, research scientists are also interested in the potential synergies between cannabinoids, terpenes, and other active compounds in cannabis, which is often referred to as the "entourage effect," which may explain why different strains impact us in different ways.

Terpinolene, limonene, and pinene, for instance, are terpenes often found in strains that are known to be uplifting and energizing, but as initial research suggests, they may also offer relaxation and sleep benefits. The particular combinations of terpenes — and their relative concentrations — may produce varying effects. Exploring a variety of cannabinoid and terpene profiles may be your best bet to find a strain that is helpful for your slumber.

Are indicas better for sleep?

The indica versus sativa debate is often grounded in effects: sativas are thought to be energizing and uplifting, while indicas are considered chill and relaxing. When visiting a dispensary, "indica" and "sativa" are what most budtenders will use to help guide strain choices.

The terms refer to the subspecies of the cannabis plant family. Sativas are tall, slender, and found in hotter climates, and indicas are short and bushy and hail from colder climates with shorter growing seasons. These subspecies come from centuries of taxonomic discussion among botanists, and these taxonomic classifications alone are not enough to tell you how a particular strain will make you feel.

And with modern breeding techniques and the abundance of hybrid strains, it's less about indica versus sativa and more about the unique chemical profile of a strain — or its "chemovar." Every person's experience with a chemovar will be slightly different based on their body.

That said, checking out a few indicas may be a good place to start when looking for a sleepy strain, but keep an open mind and remember that effects will not be dictated by indica or sativa classifications alone.

Editor's note: Weedmaps does not get affiliate revenue from the strains recommended in this article. All sleepy strains were chosen independently. The only influence Weedmaps News is under is weed.

The post The 10 best strains for sleep appeared first on Weedmaps News.