Here’s a bit more of the interview.
The firm suggested if cannabis was legalised more widely, alcoholic drinks makers could seek to use it in their products, creating new ranges that deliver a ‘high’ for the consumer.
Mr Ricard said: “We look at it closely. The whole sector is watching it closely.”
Consultant firm Bryan Garnier reckons the legalised cannabis market could be worth $140bn from $12bn without even factoring in drink-related products .
The marriage of cannabis and alcohol exists already but only at a very small scale. In 2016 one small brewery in the town of Aurora, Colorado launched its ‘Cannabeer’, which fused marijuana with beer. Meanwhile California’s Rebel Coast Winery began selling its alcohol-free cannabis sauvignon blanc last month.
A total of 25 countries have legalised cannabis use in a bid to combat the black market and secure income for their respective treasuries. Such countries include Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Israel, Mexico, South Africa, Turkey and the United States, where nine states now allow recreational use and 29 medical use.
Mr Ricard said he preferred whisky, a drink his company sells through brands such as Glenlivet and Irish whiskey Jamesons.
