5 Tips for Including Cannabis at Events

If you’re considering including cannabis at your event, start by looking to our neighbors up north, where weed has been legalized since 2018. High Bar Hospitality and Event Group in Toronto regularly works with business events. “We have delivered our experiences for a diverse range of corporate events, from intimate gatherings to large-scale functions," said Founder Lucas Margulis.

Among them: a beverage bar for the launch of an entertainment company, a vape bar for a corporate event planning company, and packing stations for rolling joints for an interior design firm during a commercial design industry convention.

Brian Applegarth, founder of Applegarth Strategies and founding chair of the Cannabis Travel Association International, believes we’re "just at the beginning" when it comes to incorporating cannabis at events. "Gen Z and the younger generations are choosing non-alcoholic beverages,” he said. “I look at cannabis beverages as an incredible new tool that is integrating into the experience economy. It’s part of a greater wellness trend.” 

Here are 5 things to consider to safely and tastefully include cannabis at your events:

​1. Educate Yourself on the Law

Cannabis is now legal across half the U.S. – 24 states, two territories and the District of Columbia have legalized small amounts for adult recreational use. A different but sometimes confused product, hemp-based CBD, is legal at a federal level, and can be found in everything from e CBD-infused food and beverages to lotions and oils.

2. Find Out if You Need a License

Some states require a temporary marijuana event license if the organizers charge a fee for entry or require membership, which could apply to business events. Different states also have different laws; in California, for example, the consumption of alcohol is prohibited at an event that also includes cannabis. The best way to ensure your event meets these requirements is to contact a lawyer. 

3. Understand Your Edibles

There are safety considerations with cannabis, just like with alcohol. Attendees who are driving need to be made aware of local THC limits. Edibles can take up to two hours before attendees feel the effect, so they might wash down an edible with an alcoholic drink, or start consuming alcohol because they haven’t felt their edible kick in yet. 

4. Make Sure Providers Are Certified

High Bar’s Margulis said his company invests in training to make sure that everyone gets home safely. “Our ‘budtenders’ and ‘cannabis sommeliers’ complete rigorous certification and are trained in preventing overconsumption, enforcing proper ID verification, and adhering to best practices for hosting both cannabis and alcohol events.”

5. Stick With THC:CBD (1:1) Cannabis Beverages

High Bar Hospitality and Event Group offers a 'Cannabar' for events, infusing cannabis right on site to create 1-mg THC:CBD (1:1) beverages. ‘Baristas' work closely with each individual, with the goal of creating a safe and chill atmosphere. A popular choice sold throughout the U.S. is Sunstone Spritzes (a low-dose THC beverage) from Sunstone Winery in California.