By Steven Voser


  • The consumer market for cannabis will continue to grow and incorporate a wider demographic in 2025.
  • Innovation will continue to be crucial for cannabis branding and marketing.
  • Cannatech promises to streamline and advance countless industry processes.
  • Social measures, such as equity and sustainability, will become ever more important.

The cannabis industry is ever-changing, and not a year goes by that doesn’t promise both major growth and potential setbacks. So, as 2024 comes to a close, many cannabis professionals wonder what the future might hold. Join us as we shed light on what we expect to be the major cannabis industry trends of 2025.

A photo of Mike Tyson and another individual standing in a lush cannabis field, surrounded by tall green plants, highlighting the connection to cannabis cultivation.

What Is the Future of the Cannabis Industry?

Prospects for the cannabis industry continue to be high. In 2023, the US cannabis industry was estimated to be worth 33.6 billion dollars[1], and it’s expected to rise to $44.3 billion (30+%) by 2025. Meanwhile, the global market for weed is expected to grow[2] at similar annual rates and be worth over $444 billion by 2030.

Wondering what’s driving this massive growth? We think it boils down to two main factors:

  • Legalization milestones: The legality of weed continues to be a hot topic. In the US, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota had cannabis on their political agenda this year. Moreover, 2024 saw Germany become the third European country to legalize cannabis for adult use.
  • Consumer acceptance: Cannabis simply isn’t as taboo as it used to be. In the US, over 70% of voters supported legalization[3] in Gallup polls in 2024, while 79% of Americans live in a county with at least one dispensary[4]. And we only expect this approval for weed to continue to spread, both in the US and across the world, in the coming years, further potentiating the cannabis industry’s growth.

Over the coming years, we believe the growing acceptance of cannabis and further legalization will continue to propel the industry forwards. In this article, we’ll shine a light on the trends, innovations, market dynamics, and regulatory changes we expect to see in 2025 as a result of the cannabis industry’s continued growth.

  • Will the USA Reschedule Cannabis in 2025?

Before we get stuck into our predictions of cannabis industry trends for 2025, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: US federal legalization/rescheduling.

Of course, we don’t have a crystal ball with which to predict the future. Nonetheless, we can’t deny that we’re closer than ever before to the reclassification of cannabis in the US, which would mean a huge leap forward for both the local and global cannabis markets.

In 2023, the US Department of Health and Human Services recommended the rescheduling of cannabis. Then, in April 2024, the DEA turned heads[5] by announcing that it would act on former president Joe Biden’s promise to remove cannabis’ Schedule 1 classification. President Donald Trump has also expressed his support for the legalization of cannabis, and industry experts[6] are confident the Trump administration may see through its rescheduling. And we hope they’re right.

The rescheduling of cannabis in the US would obviously be a major milestone for the global cannabis industry. Some of the benefits it could bring include:

  • Improved access for medical cannabis patients through the potential establishment of a federal medical cannabis programme.
  • Potential for cross-border cannabis trade with Canada and other countries where weed is legal.
  • More standardised regulation and quality.
  • An increase in medical cannabis research.
  • Improved banking, investment, and other finance options for cannabis companies.
  • Influencing other countries to update their cannabis legislation.
A photo of Mike Tyson and another individual standing in a lush cannabis field, surrounded by tall green plants, highlighting the connection to cannabis cultivation.

Besides the potential rescheduling of cannabis in the USA, below are some of the top cannabis industry trends we think 2025 holds in store.

  • Ever-Evolving Consumer Preferences and Habits

One thing we expect to change dramatically in 2025 (and the coming years as well) is the way we consume cannabis. Some changes in this field that we’ve already seen include:

  • A growing demand for smokeless products, especially edibles, drinks, cosmetics, and (of course) vapes.
  • Less interest in THC-rich or THC-only products, and a growing demand for health and wellness-focused cannabis products with more balanced cannabinoid levels. This is in part due to the changing demographics of the cannabis industry, which we’ll describe further down in this article.
  • A growing acceptance of cannabis. The growth of the CaliSober movement, for instance, is a good example of how cannabis use is becoming ever-more ingrained into modern culture. We expect this to happen gradually, both where weed is legal and where it’s not.
  • Cannabis Marketing and Branding Shifts

In 2025, we also expect cannabis companies to take new approaches in their marketing and branding efforts. Some examples of this include:

  • Purpose-driven branding: The cannabis market is saturated with brands and products, creating a highly competitive space. We’re already seeing new cannabis brands align themselves with socio-political movements to assert themselves, and we only expect this to continue. In a market with so many marketing restrictions, aligning your brand with a cause can be a huge advantage.
  • Social media innovation: Anyone operating in the cannabis space has a hard time taking full advantage of social media. We’re already seeing how this pushes brands and individuals to think outside of the box to promote themselves, and we only expect this trend to continue. Some ways in which to achieve this include:

- Through influencer and celebrity endorsements
- By focusing on educational content, particularly in video format

  • Continued Market Growth

As mentioned earlier, the cannabis market promises to keep flourishing. Some of the market-related trends we expect to see in 2025 include:

  • Financial growth: Both global and local cannabis markets are estimated to grow in revenue in 2025. The global weed market, for example, is expected to grow by over 30% annually.
  • Changing market demographics: As the stigma around cannabis continues to dissolve, we expect the demographic of cannabis users to expand and evolve. What was once an industry powered by and tailored to stoners will come to integrate people from all walks of life.
  • M&A will become more important: As the cannabis space becomes more competitive, it’s even harder for businesses (especially small ones) to stay afloat. Mergers and acquisitions, however, offer a solution for large businesses to expand their operations, and unsuccessful ones to get out of the market.
  • Access to capital will continue to be an issue: In the US, cannabis companies face tight financial restrictions due to the federal prohibition of cannabis and its Schedule 1 status. This will continue to be an issue until weed is rescheduled or becomes federally legal.
A collage highlighting Seth Rogen and the cannabis industry, featuring a stack of gold coins, a cannabis plant, Seth Rogen gesturing, and a CBD oil bottle, symbolizing cannabis business and culture.

Technology has already revolutionised many aspects of our lives, and it promises to do the same for how we grow and use cannabis. Some of the biggest weed tech trends we expect to see in 2025 include:

  • Automation: Automation has already made its way into some hobby grow kits, and automated tools like robotic trimmers are beginning to expand the commercial cultivation space by streamlining growing processes, improving yields, and promoting consistency.
  • AI: AI is making its mark on virtually every industry on the planet and promises to play a big role in cannabis, too. Some of the ways we expect to see AI software advance the weed world include:

- By offering real-time data on cultivation parameters
- By automating watering, feeding, ventilation, and other variables in the grow room
- By streamlining the detection and treatment of pest/pathogen issues
- By helping predict the outcome of breeding programmes

  • VR, AR, and other emerging technologies: In 2025, we plan to see the cannabis space take advantage of virtual reality and augmented reality technologies, as well as blockchain solutions.

- VR has multiple potential applications, such as allowing cannabis cultivation companies to train staff remotely.
- We’ll likely see AR become more popular in B2C models—e.g. dispensaries may use it in their front-of-house, while brands may integrate it into their consumer education campaigns (an important content model for cannabis companies).
- Blockchain could play a central role in supply chain transparency, helping to track products from seed to store and streamline compliance reporting.

Ethics, Social Equity, and Environmental Impact

There’s a huge social aspect to cannabis, and terms like ethics, social equity, and sustainability are already hot topics for cannabis consumers (and therefore, the brands that target them). In 2025, we expect:

  • More social equity initiatives: It’s vital for both regulatory entities (like states, for example) and cannabis companies to find ways to include communities and individuals disproportionately affected by prohibition. This is already a hot topic across the US, and we expect it to become even more relevant in 2025 as federal legalization/rescheduling becomes a real possibility.
  • Increased environmental efforts: Cannabis consumers tend to be environmentally conscious, and therefore they expect cannabis companies to make an effort to be sustainable. While we expect cannabis companies to continue expanding their environmental efforts for this reason, we also expect them to do so for their own good, as finding ways to minimise the industry’s environmental footprint is crucial to its longevity.
  • Regtech and better compliance measures: Playing by the rules is key in the cannabis industry, where the legal landscape is treacherous and ever-changing. We’re already seeing companies like CannaRegs build a comprehensive regulatory platform designed to help cannabis companies in Colorado stay up-to-date on the latest weed laws. And we only expect other, similar platforms to pop up in the future, as there’s no shortage of cannabis companies needing up-to-date legal information.
A smiling couple sitting close together with a cannabis bud between them, surrounded by lush cannabis plants and a globe in the background, creating a cozy, relaxed atmosphere.

Looking Ahead: Cannabis in 2025 and Beyond

The cannabis industry is booming, though it’s also not lacking in challenges—many of which stem from the illicit legal status of cannabis in most jurisdictions. And while this makes it a tricky industry to operate in, it also makes it one of tremendous potential.

In 2025, we expect big things for the world of weed, particularly advances in tech integration, sustainability, social equity, and a growing consumer demographic. Of course, there’s always the chance of last-minute legislative changes throwing the industry a curveball. While agility, innovation, and forward-thinking continue to be very necessary for anyone working in weed, we’re proud to say that, once again, we see the cannabis industry continuing its promising ascent.

Here’s to a stellar 2025!

External Resources:
  1. U.S Cannabis Economic Impact https://mjbizdaily.com
  2. Cannabis Market Size & Growth | Forecast Report [2030] https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com
  3. Grassroots Support for Legalizing Marijuana Hits Record 70% https://news.gallup.com
  4. Grassroots Support for Legalizing Marijuana Hits Record 70% https://news.gallup.com
  5. DEA could reclassify marijuana to a less restrictive category – a drug policy expert weighs the pros and cons https://theconversation.com
  6. MJBizCon panelists issue cannabis industry predictions for 2025 https://mjbizdaily.com
Disclaimer:
This content is for educational purposes only. The information provided is derived from research gathered from external sources.

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Privacy Policy - Royal Queen Seeds

To ensure a safe online environment and guarantee adequate data protection, we strictly comply with all legal requirements. In this privacy statement, we provide information about how and for what purpose data is collected, safety measures, storage periods and contact details.


COMPANY NAME: SNORKEL SPAIN, SL (hereinafter ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS)

C/ Vilar d'Abdelà, 5 (nave 1) CP: 08170 de Montornès del Vallès

+34 937 379 846

support@royalqueenseeds.com


The present Privacy Policy sets out the terms on which we will treat personal data at ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS; this includes any personal data collected through our website https://www.royalqueenseeds.com/ as well as any other data we process in the course of our business activities.

ROYAL QUEEN SEEDS collects the following personal data for the purposes listed below:

SECTION 1 – PERSONAL INFORMATION WE COLLECT

1.1 Account purchases

Account purchases can only be made if you are in possession of a personal account. When you create an account or purchase something from our shop, as part of the buying and selling process we collect the following personal information that you provide to us:

This information is required for delivery. In addition, when you browse our shop, we automatically receive the Internet Protocol (IP) address of your computer. Based on this information, we can optimise your online experience and at the same time protect our online environment.

Purpose of data collection

We collect and store account-related data for the following purposes:

(a) to carry out obligations arising from any contracts between you and us, and to provide you with information, products and services that you may request from us;

(b) to set up, manage and communicate with you about your account and your orders;

(c) to conduct market research and analysis;

(d) to confirm your age and identity, and to detect and prevent fraud.

1.2 Newsletters

With your explicit permission, we may send you newsletters about our shop, new products and other updates. We send newsletters based on your explicit consent. In the event that you purchase a product, and in accordance with current regulations, we may send you commercial communications in accordance with the legitimate interest of our company, always about products or services similar to those you have purchased or contracted. In any case, you may exercise your right of opposition through the channels announced in this Privacy Policy. The following information is collected in relation to the newsletter:

We do not need to know the sex of the person in order to send the newsletter (data minimisation: by law we must ask for data that is strictly necessary to provide the service, and in this case knowing the sex is not necessary to send the newsletter).

Purpose of data collection

The data collected is used to:

(a) personalise our emails, including your name and gender;

(b) provide gender-specific content.

You can withdraw your consent at any time by using the link provided in the newsletter or the contact information provided in section 2.

1.3 Customer service and contact form

In order to provide appropriate support, our customer service employees have access to information related to the account. Consequently, their support will be highly effective and friendly. The data provided in our contact form is used by our CRM provider, SuperOffice. We will only use your details to respond to your message.

SECTION 2 – LEGITIMATE INTEREST

If you have purchased any of our products, please note that we may process your personal data for promotional purposes, based on Royal Queen Seeds' legitimate interest only to offer you products or services from our company and about products or services similar to those you have purchased. You may exercise your right to opt out of future messages by the means set out in this Privacy Policy or through any notification you receive.

2.1 How do you withdraw consent?

If you change your mind, you can withdraw your consent for us to contact you for the purpose of collecting, using, or disclosing your data at any time by reaching out to us at: support@royalqueenseeds.com.

SECTION 3 – DISCLOSURE

We may disclose your personal information if we are required to do so by law or if you breach our Terms of Service.

SECTION 4 – HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR DATA?

At Royal Queen Seeds, we will not retain your data for longer than is necessary for the purposes described in this Policy. Different retention periods apply for different types of data; however, the longest period we will normally hold any personal data is 10 years.

4.1 Account information

Data relating to the account remains relevant for as long as the consumer is in possession of an account. Therefore, the data remains documented for as long as the account exists. When our customers delete an account, the associated data will be deleted within a reasonable period of time. Requests regarding the inspection or correction of stored personal data or the deletion of an account can be sent to support@royalqueenseeds.com.

4.2 Newsletters

In the event that you give us your consent to inform you about our products or services, we will keep your data until you express your wish not to receive any further communications from us. However, we regularly (every month) carry out a relevance check. Registered customers (and their personal information) will be deleted whenever customers do not reply to our request. In addition, our newsletter mailing has an opt-out feature. Consumers can withdraw their consent by using this opt-out feature.

SECTION 5 – COOKIES

Cookies are small information files that notify your computer of previous interactions with our website. These cookies are stored on your hard drive, not on our website. Essentially, when you use our website, your computer displays its cookies to us, informing our site that you have visited before. This allows our website to function more quickly and remember aspects related to your previous visits (such as your username), making your experience more convenient. At Royal Queen Seeds, we use two types of cookies: functional and analytical.

5.1 Functional Cookies

Functional cookies are used to enhance your online experience. Among other things, these cookies track what is added to your shopping cart. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

5.2 Analytical Cookies

Analytical cookies are used for research and market analysis. The data collected with these analytical cookies is anonymous, making it unusable for third parties. The use of these cookies does not require prior authorization.

SECTION 5 – THIRD-PARTY SERVICES

Third-party services are required to conduct transactions and provide our services. In general, the third-party providers we use will only collect, use and disclose your information to the extent necessary to enable them to perform the services they provide to us.

However, certain third-party service providers, such as payment gateways and other payment transaction processors, have their own privacy policies regarding the information we must provide to them for your transactions.

We encourage you to read the privacy policies of these providers so that you can understand how these providers will handle your personal information.

In particular, certain suppliers may be located or have facilities located in a different jurisdiction than yours or ours. Therefore, if you choose to proceed with a transaction involving the services of a third party, your information may be subject to the laws of the jurisdiction in which that service provider or its facilities are located.

Once you leave our website or are redirected to a third-party website or application, you are no longer governed by this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service of our website.

Web analytics service (anonymous data)

On this website we have integrated an element of a web analytics service (with anonymisation functionality). Web analytics can be defined as the gathering, processing and analysis of data about the behaviour of visitors to websites. An analytics service collects, among other things, data about which website a person came from (the so-called referrer), which sub-pages they visited or how often and for how long they visited a sub-page. Web analytics is mainly used for website optimisation and for a cost–benefit analysis of internet advertising.

Courier service

To complete deliveries we use a courier service. This courier service carries out the delivery between our company and the consumer's home. To complete these logistics, the company requires access to the consumer's name and address information.

Mailing service

Royal Queen Seeds uses a third-party mail service provider to send its newsletter. This provider has access to limited account information related to opt-in consent (e.g. email address).

Marketing services

Royal Queen Seeds has the support of a company that specialises in marketing and communication activities. Their access to personal information is very limited and mostly anonymous.

Payment services

At Royal Queen Seeds we use external payment services to handle our transactions (e.g. credit card payments).

SECTION 6 – SECURITY

To protect your personal information, we take reasonable precautions and follow industry standard best practices to ensure that it is not inappropriately lost, misused, accessed, disclosed, altered or destroyed.

If you provide us with your credit card information, the information is encrypted using secure socket layer technology (SSL) and stored using AES-256 encryption. Although no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, we follow all PCI-DSS requirements and implement additional industry standards that are commonly accepted. Information related to the account is protected with a hashing method. This method transforms the information into a generated hash. As a result, confidential information is protected and invisible, even to us. In addition, our databases are exceptionally protected against unauthorised access. For example, access to the database is only possible and permitted via approved IP addresses (e.g. from Royal Queen Seeds headquarters). Other attempts and addresses are rejected at all times.

Furthermore, data is anonymised as much as possible, so it cannot be directly linked to a specific consumer. With this data, however, we may be able to carry out market research and analysis. In addition, the third parties concerned (e.g. mailing service) are examined prior to our collaboration, comply with the GDPR from the EU and receive a processing agreement. Within Royal Queen Seeds, employees are assigned different access permissions. Specific permission provides access only to information that is strictly required to perform a task. Digital security measures are subject to change and must meet high requirements to ensure the safety of online customers. That is why, at Royal Queen Seeds, we appoint a security officer. Regular verification and improvement of security measures (where necessary) are part of the role.

SECTION 7 – CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time, so please check back regularly. Changes and clarifications will be effective immediately upon being published on the Website. If we make substantial changes to this policy, we will notify you here that it has been updated so you will know what information we collect, how we use it and under what circumstances, if any, we use and/or disclose it.

SECTION 8 – YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO: