Sublinguals Are Taking Over The Weed Market

If you’re using cannabis sublingual strips, you’re part of a growing trend that is expected to become a major consumable format.

The rapid growth in sales of sublingual products between 2020 and 2021 points to a new consumer trend. These products only entered the market in 2020, but they already represent a significant portion of cannabis sales. This trend is likely to continue, as more and more people discover the benefits of using sublingual products.

According to data compiled by Headset, there seems to be a trend of growth in the sales of tinctures and sublingual products in Canada, with a majority of sales coming from a few distinct products.

Sales of sublinguals reached their peak in July 2021 at $425,000 and then dipped in December to $350,000, according to the report.

Sublinguals are similar to breath mint strips that you would place under your tongue. They offer a quicker high onset of around 15 minutes, compared to around 90 minutes for edibles and beverages.

The sublingual absorption of Delta-9 THC is more effective than other methods because it avoids the gastrointestinal system, where gastric acids and enzymes can convert it into the more psychoactive form of 11-hydroxy THC.

Sublingual strips are a more efficient and direct way to consume delta-9 THC, providing a purer and more potent experience that is similar to smoking or vaping.

What Is Cannabis?

Cannabis is a plant species in the family Cannabaceae. It includes three primary subspecies: Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica, and Cannabis ruderalis. Cannabis has been used for a variety of purposes, including for its medicinal and recreational effects. It is also known for its psychoactive compounds, such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).

What Is THC?

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is a psychoactive compound found in the cannabis plant. It is responsible for the “high” commonly associated with cannabis use. THC acts on the cannabinoid receptors in the brain, which are involved in the regulation of mood, appetite, and other cognitive functions. The amount of THC in cannabis varies depending on the strain, with some strains having higher levels of THC than others.

What Is CBD?

CBD stands for cannabidiol, which is a naturally occurring compound found in the cannabis plant. CBD is one of many compounds, known as cannabinoids, that are found in the cannabis plant. Unlike the more well-known compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), CBD is non-psychoactive, meaning it does not produce the “high” commonly associated with cannabis use.

CBD has become increasingly popular in recent years as a natural remedy for a variety of health conditions, including anxiety, pain, and insomnia. It is also used to manage symptoms of conditions such as multiple sclerosis and help with epilepsy. CBD is available in a variety of forms, including oils, capsules, and topical creams.

Benefits of sublingual absorption

A big reason why sublingual absorption has caught on with cannabis consumers—and especially with medical patients—is that the effects are as fast-acting and consistent as smoking or vaping, while allowing the consumer to avoid inhalation altogether. What’s more, they offer a much faster onset and a more consistent effect than other smokeless options like edibles.

Sublingual absorption works so well because it avoids the gastrointestinal system, where gastric acids and enzymes sometimes convert delta-9 THC into the more psychoactive form of 11-hydroxy THC.

11-hydroxy THC causes those extra-intense highs that often scare off first-time cannabis consumers.

“More often than not, [first-time consumers] will try a cookie or a gummy and they’ll have a very intense experience that scares them off of cannabis. And then we lose that participant in our industry,” said Josh Kirby, CEO of California-based sublinguals brand Kin Slips. “Sublingual strips avoid that by going directly into your blood stream through that membrane underneath your tongue. It doesn’t pass through your digestive system and it doesn’t interact with those enzymes and digestive fluids that can convert it to that hydroxyl-11. So you get a pure delta-9 experience, which feels just like smoking or vaping. This is why it’s so much more controlled and clear.”

Cannabis consumers want to try everything at least once

As the next generation of cannabis products, 2.0 products offer a more discreet option for Canadian consumers than flower and vapes.

“I’m not surprised that so many people went out to buy these types of strips,” says Rachel Colic, chief strategist at Y Creative, a consulting firm focused on brand strategy for the cannabis industry. “It’s a long-awaited format, it’s novel and new, and people always want to try everything.”

The easy-to-use strip format of sublinguals is consumer-friendly and reminiscent of products like Listerine’s PocketPaks breath mints.

What is also turning heads in a favorable way is how this market has surged in the past 18 months with only two key players in the market: Being’s THC Oral Strips, produced by Thrive Cannabis based in Simcoe, Ontario, and Kin Slips from Aleafia Health in Toronto.

Kolik says a limited number of market participants have put in impressive hard work in their category. “I find it remarkable that these two SKUs have powered all of this growth and filled the gap left by the cannabis market.”

Top selling format for medical cannabis patients

Tricia Symmes, CEO of Aleafia Health, reports that their medical division’s top-selling product is now the sublingual strip. They have also been successfully producing strips for the adult-use market, with one of their most popular items being the high-CBD strips.

The strips are discreet and offer reliable dosing, making them popular among consumers new to the space. Symmes notes that her licensed producer (LP) has partnered with Kin State Group in California to distribute the strips to the Canadian market.

This product is easy to use, discreet, and portable, making it the perfect solution for those who want to enjoy the benefits of cannabis without drawing attention to themselves.

Aleafia and Kin are working to bring more sublingual products to Canada in the coming year, including ones with different flavours and CBD isolate. This will provide more options for consumers and help to improve their overall experience.

If sublinguals are set to be the next big thing, why are only two licensed producers in Canada making them?

According to Dessy Pavlova, project manager at CannStandard, the lack of market research in this area is an obstacle to the growth of the cannabis industry. She notes that flower still has the allure to many consumers and LPs, and it’s still number one in market share in Canada.