Patrick Trout, the Las Vegas maestro behind Pulsar Presents, has been in the music game for two decades. He spilled the tea to Las Vegas Weekly, saying, “It’s something I’ve observed since the shutdown ended, but especially in the last year. I’ve seen a dramatic increase in people not drinking at shows or drinking non-alcoholic stuff, but then simultaneously also wanting to smoke more. We are really seeing a generational, cultural shift.” Ah, the times, they are a-changin’.
This isn’t just Trout’s wild observation. A 2023 Billboard article echoes the sentiment, pointing out that when businesses reopened post-pandemic, alcohol sales took a nosedive. One club manager even confessed to a 25% drop in booze buys at Gen Z-focused shows. Maybe they’re all just pre-gaming at home to save some coin?
Venue owners are catching on, with some beefing up their non-alcoholic offerings. Global Market even predicted back in 2019 that the non-alcoholic industry could balloon to $30 billion by this year. That’s a lot of mocktails!
Psychiatrist Akhil Anand, MD, chimed in, “Alcohol is a depressant and never the answer to a bad day. Gen Z seems to understand that concept and they’ve moved in a different direction.” Wise words, doc.
A New Frontier Data report from 2022 reveals that the love for cannabis isn’t just a Gen Z thing. It’s a multi-generational affair, with 69% of 18-24 year-olds, 70% of 25-34 year-olds, and even 44% of those 65-74 preferring cannabis over alcohol. Talk about a broad fan base!
Christopher LaPorte, the brains behind Vegas’ Reset cannabis hospitality group, dished to Las Vegas Weekly about the rising green wave. “Everyone has the pot brownie horror story. But who doesn’t remember ‘that one night with tequila’?” LaPorte teased. “People are more educated now. We’re out and proud about our cannabis habits.”
Enter Nevada’s first consumption lounge, Smoke and Mirrors, courtesy of Thrive Cannabis. Designed by LaPorte, it’s inspired by listening cafes from Japan and New York. Their star attraction? THC-infused, non-alcoholic drinks. A genius way to lure in a new crowd!
Planet 13, another Vegas hotspot, unveiled its cannabis lounge, Dazed!, on April 5. While Frankie Anobile, Planet 13’s entertainment director and DJ veteran, doesn’t see “bong service” replacing “bottle service,” he thinks offering both is a win-win. And get this, they’re planning a three-story, alcohol-only nightclub for 2025. Talk about hedging your bets!
Anobile explained, “You can stay all night drinking for hours; you can’t stay all night smoking. It’s a totally different culture.” True that.
Trout is stoked about the potential for consumption lounges to shake up the music scene. “I’m really interested to see with the pot lounges that decide to utilize live music. There’s some subgenres of metal like doom and stoner rock where it would absolutely appeal,” he mused.
And the green wave doesn’t stop there. The Nevada Independent reports a whopping 38 more cannabis consumption lounges in the pipeline. Looks like Vegas is doubling down on green!
Photo by: Joseph Eulo
