Whitt Steineker Quoted in Smart Meetings on Cannabis Tourism in Hospitality

Bradley attorney Whitt Steineker was quoted in Smart Meetings regarding the increasing popularity surrounding cannabis tourism and how cannabis culture is interweaving with mainstream tourism and hospitality.

Regarding potential mainstream hospitality crossovers, Steineker said, “As more states adopt legal cannabis regimes and more Americans come into contact with cannabis and realize that the sky is not falling, there appears to be a clear trend line towards acceptance.” However, since education and advocacy regarding cannabis use and has become more widespread, Steineker added that “[c]orporations tend to move more slowly and conservatively than public opinion, but their attitudes do tend to be trending towards more acceptance.”

Cannabis-infused food and beverages have become more commonplace in boutique hotels and venues, and some corporations have even expressed interest in utilizing cannabis, rather than alcohol, at private meetings and dinners. Steineker said, “Many larger food and beverage providers are reticent to implement cannabis-infused programs while marijuana remains federally illegal.”

Steineker confirmed that there has been increasing interest in private event spaces, where patrons seek to have alternative culinary experiences. “There certainly has been a rise in private ‘cannabis dinners’ where a chef designs a menu of cannabis-infused offerings.”

Steineker also commented on the different plant products that are in conversation when discussing cannabis and its usage. “The term ‘cannabis’ is a scientific term referring to the type of plant, where as ‘marijuana’ and ‘hemp’ are legal terms and are treated very differently under federal and state law. Generally speaking, ‘cannabis’ hospitability typically refers to adult use marijuana, but hemp has many of the same qualities and in certain states is much more widely available and permissible, making it an attractive potential area for growth in the hospitality industry,” he said.

The full article, “Cannabis Tourism Now Mainstream for Meeting,” was published in Smart Meetings magazine on May 1, 2023.