First came Black Friday. Then retailers started moving the action to Thanksgiving Thursday itself. Now however, if you're a cannabis consumer, you don't even have to wait that long, because there is Green Wednesday.
The day before Thanksgiving has become something of a 4/20 in the fall. It's one of the biggest days of the year for shopping in the cannabis industry.
According to research published in Marijuana Venture, recreational cannabis sales on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving were nearly 92% higher than preceding Wednesdays in November of last year.
"Green Wednesday has become a super popular time for us. Each year we get more and more people interested in stopping by before the holiday," says Keegan McClung, marketing director at Cinder.
Some of this may be consumers taking advantage of deals before the holiday season, but insiders see it as a response to the holiday itself.
"Cannabis seems to make food taste better, so it's no wonder one of the biggest eating holidays in America is now becoming associated with cannabis in legal states," McClung adds.
It goes beyond just food, though. Thanksgiving is a time when people return home. They go back to their families and longtime friends. And over a long weekend, they might just want to get away for a minute.
A deal on a preroll joint or a vape pen could be all it takes to help a couple of cousins step out of the house and get to know each other on a different level, if only for a brief walk around the block.
This is not just a local phenomenon, either. Green Wednesday is becoming widely recognized in the cannabis industry. In 2022, the stock exchange Nasdaq published a story on its website about the trend.
According to cannabis business analysis company Akerna, Green Wednesday is now second only to 4/20 in consumer spending on cannabis.
Retailers are taking note of the demand from consumers.
"Whether it's because they want to load up for Thanksgiving since they've got family in town or they're trying to ensure they can scarf down an extra slice of pie, customers are expecting deals to help them out and stretch their dollar," McClung says.
Local dispensaries are following suit, with many offering special sales on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. For cannabis consumers, Green Wednesday now serves as the unofficial kick off to the holiday season. ♦
