Like birds of a feather? A multi-case study on the connections between cannabis, tobacco, alcohol and pharmaceutical companies in legalized cannabis markets

IF 4.4 2区医学 Q1 SUBSTANCE ABUSE

International Journal of Drug Policy Pub Date : 2025-06-05 DOI:10.1016/j.drugpo.2025.104863

Marthe Ongenaert, Tom Decorte

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Background

As of 2024, cannabis legalization in Northern American countries has spurred industry growth, intersecting with alcohol, tobacco, and pharmaceuticals. This study examines the investments and employee movement between five cannabis companies and alcohol, tobacco and pharmaceutical companies in order to explore the connections between the industries. While these relationships may bolster cannabis businesses, they also pose risks such as profit-driven practices that could undermine public health protections.

Method

An exploratory and descriptive approach was used to analyze business investments and employee flow between five cannabis companies (Canopy Growth, Aurora Cannabis, Tilray, Cronos Group, and Organigram) and alcohol, tobacco, and pharmaceutical companies. Data was collected through Nexis Uni, corporate reports, press releases, and LinkedIn, documenting financial transactions and management transitions.

Results

The results reveal investment relationships between the five cannabis companies and companies from the alcohol, tobacco, and pharmaceutical sectors. Some cannabis companies have secured substantial investments from alcohol and tobacco firms, which view cannabis as both a competitor and an opportunity for market expansion. These investments often come with influence, allowing industries to shape the cannabis market. Additionally, employee flows indicate cross-industry expertise transfer, particularly in management, finance, and strategy. This suggests that traditional companies are strategically positioning themselves within the cannabis sector, while cannabis companies are leveraging expertise form other sectors to drive innovation.

Conclusion

The connections between cannabis and traditional industries raise concerns over market dynamics and public health risks by importing profit-driven tactics that weaken regulations and public safety. By drawing on lessons from established industries, future studies can help navigate the balance between industry growth and societal well-being, ensuring that cannabis commercialization does not come at the expense of consumer health.

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物以类聚？关于大麻、烟草、酒精和制药公司在大麻合法化市场上的联系的多案例研究

截至2024年，北美国家的大麻合法化刺激了行业的增长，与酒精、烟草和药品交叉。本研究考察了五家大麻公司与酒精、烟草和制药公司之间的投资和员工流动，以探索这些行业之间的联系。虽然这些关系可能会促进大麻业务，但它们也会带来风险，例如利润驱动的做法可能会破坏公共卫生保护。方法采用探索性和描述性的方法分析了五家大麻公司（Canopy Growth, Aurora cannabis, Tilray， Cronos Group和Organigram）与酒精，烟草和制药公司之间的商业投资和员工流动。数据是通过Nexis Uni、公司报告、新闻稿和LinkedIn收集的，记录了金融交易和管理过渡。结果揭示了五家大麻公司与酒精、烟草和制药行业公司之间的投资关系。一些大麻公司已从烟酒公司获得大量投资，烟酒公司将大麻视为竞争对手和市场扩张的机会。这些投资往往具有影响力，使行业能够影响大麻市场。此外，员工流动表明跨行业的专业知识转移，特别是在管理、财务和战略方面。这表明，传统公司正在大麻行业中进行战略定位，而大麻公司正在利用其他行业的专业知识来推动创新。大麻与传统产业之间的联系通过引入削弱监管和公共安全的利润驱动策略，引起了对市场动态和公共卫生风险的担忧。通过吸取成熟行业的经验教训，未来的研究可以帮助在行业增长和社会福祉之间取得平衡，确保大麻商业化不会以牺牲消费者健康为代价。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

International Journal of Drug Policy SUBSTANCE ABUSE-

CiteScore

7.80

自引率

11.40%

发文量

307

审稿时长

62 days

期刊介绍： The International Journal of Drug Policy provides a forum for the dissemination of current research, reviews, debate, and critical analysis on drug use and drug policy in a global context. It seeks to publish material on the social, political, legal, and health contexts of psychoactive substance use, both licit and illicit. The journal is particularly concerned to explore the effects of drug policy and practice on drug-using behaviour and its health and social consequences. It is the policy of the journal to represent a wide range of material on drug-related matters from around the world.