Cannabis drinks remain a small slice of legal cannabis sales, but they are growing faster than many categories consumers use to moderate alcohol. Industry estimates show beverages held roughly 0.9% of U.S. cannabis dollar sales in Q1 2025—about $54.6 million that quarter—up about 15% year over year, and roughly 6% of the edibles category. Within category tracking, beverages typically account for 1–3% of cannabis sales, with some markets posting double-digit growth even as other categories slow.
On the alcohol side, the macro trend is moderation. Reviews show U.S. non-alcoholic beer, wine, and spirits sales nearing or surpassing $1 billion annually, with momentum across demographics and channels. Forecasts project the U.S. no-alcohol segment to grow at an 18% volume CAGR from 2024–2028 and approach $5 billion by 2028, led by non-alcoholic beer. At the same time, surveys report U.S. self-reported alcohol use fell to a record-low 54% in 2025, suggesting a larger pool of “damp” or “sober-curious” consumers who are open to alternatives—cannabis drinks included.
So are cannabis beverages gaining share against alcohol alternatives? In relative terms, yes—particularly in “occasion” spaces where consumers want a buzz without booze. Analyses through 2024–2025 show cannabis drink revenue growing while many core cannabis categories were flat or declining; in some states like California, beverages were among the few growth bright spots in 2024. The category’s proposition—predictable dosing, rapid onset (via emulsions), and sessionable low-dose formats—maps neatly onto moderation occasions normally served by non-alcoholic beer or mocktails. Think 2–10 mg THC single-serves replacing a round or two.
Where the competition gets most direct is in mainstream retail. Hemp-derived THC (federally legal) has opened conventional distribution, and large alcohol players are experimenting with THC or THC-adjacent portfolios to defend share at bars, groceries, and convenience stores—places where licensed marijuana drinks can’t go. Recent reporting highlights alcohol companies testing hemp-THC beverages and distribution partnerships as cannabis drinks begin to steal occasions from traditional alcohol. Projections place U.S. hemp-THC drinks above $1 billion in 2025 and north of $4 billion by 2028 if current momentum holds. In other words, the most intense rivalry with alcohol is happening on shelves outside dispensaries, where THC beverages compete head-to-head with non-alcoholic beer, seltzers, and mocktails for the same moderation occasions.
However, scale still favors alcohol alternatives. Non-alcoholic beer alone is already a multibillion-dollar global business and growing quickly, while total U.S. non-alcoholic adult beverages are nearing the billion-dollar mark in measured retail—and rising. By contrast, cannabis beverages inside licensed cannabis channels are early-stage: less than 1% of total cannabis sales nationally (though higher in a few states), with consumer access and regulations uneven by market. Consumer research also shows only a portion of cannabis users regularly find or choose beverages; availability and education remain hurdles.
The bottom line: cannabis beverages are gaining share of consumer occasions relative to alcohol—especially among moderation-minded shoppers and in venues where hemp-THC drinks can legally sell—but the category is still small compared with the rapidly scaling non-alcoholic segment. Expect continued growth as sessionable, low-dose formats expand, alcohol companies push distribution, and more states modernize rules around production, labeling, and on-premise consumption. In the near term, the biggest share wins are likely to come via hemp-THC in mainstream retail and via deeper penetration within edibles in licensed markets. Over the longer term, clearer regulations and on-premise social consumption could unlock broader displacement of alcohol in specific occasions.