Earlier this week, The Coca-Cola Co. announced that it has expressed interest in entering the cannabis beverage market. Coke is currently in discussions with Aurora Cannabis Inc. (Canada) to develop beverage products made with cannabidiol (CBD), the non-psychoactive chemical component found in cannabis.

The willingness of a traditional American company like Coke to consider cannabis as an ingredient in its branded products is the most recent example of major food and beverage marketers moving toward an acceptance of cannabis. This summer, alcohol companies such as Heineken and Constellation Brands pursued agreements to operate in the cannabis space.