Headset

Hemp-derived THC beverages are moving through mainstream retail — and there’s now consistent, real-time data tracking what’s actually happening at the shelf. Headset's Hemp-Derived THC Beverage dataset has been capturing daily sales, pricing, and distribution across major retail chains in 15 states, giving the industry a clear view into how this category is taking shape. What the data makes visible: Unit and revenue velocity by state and retailer Price tiers and promotion patterns as value and premium options emerge Brand performance and share movement as shelves fill out Distribution growth and where white space still exists This level of visibility puts Headset ahead of the curve. Instead of relying on anecdotes or projections, teams can see real behavior and make decisions grounded in actual retail performance. For brands, retailers, and anyone watching beverages or alternative THC formats, this dataset offers one of the clearest views available into a fast-developing category. 👉 Want to see what hemp-derived THC beverages look like in your state? Headset makes the data accessible: https://lnkd.in/espFEfu8

4/20 landed on a Monday this year. It still delivered the biggest day in cannabis retail. Across 24 U.S. markets, Headset data shows: 📊 +134% sales vs. a typical Monday 📊 +99% transactions 📊 +201% units sold Every core metric didn’t just grow. It compounded. More shoppers showed up, baskets got bigger, and those baskets were filled with more units at lower prices. Here is what stands out: 📊 Monday became the biggest day of the week, capturing 23.6% of total weekly sales, nearly double its normal share 📊 The full 4/20 week drove +23% more sales than a typical week, reinforcing that this is a multi-day retail event 📊 Average basket size increased 18%, but items per basket jumped 52%, while average item price dropped 23% 📊 Discounting climbed to 40.5% on average, the highest promotional push of the year 📊 Every category grew, but unit volume outpaced sales across the board, pointing to a clear stock-up mindset Market performance also told a familiar story. Mature markets like Michigan, Oklahoma, and California led the way, while newer adult-use markets are still building their 4/20 playbook. One of the more important takeaways is around timing. The markets that performed best were not the ones discounting early. They were the ones that held promotions for the day itself. 4/20 continues to evolve, but the fundamentals are becoming clearer each year. It is durable, it rewards discipline, and it remains one of the most important moments in cannabis retail. #CannabisIndustry #420 #MarketIntelligence #RetailData #Headset

Cincinnati is up next. Headset is heading to IgniteIt for an Ohio Valley spotlight, and Cy Scott will be there to talk about what the data is actually showing across this region. The Ohio Valley has been one of the more interesting areas to watch. New markets are taking shape. Pricing is finding its level. Consumer behavior is shifting faster than most operators expect. That is where good data starts to matter. Cy has spent the last decade building platforms that help this industry make sense of itself, first with Leafly and now with Headset. The focus is simple. Give operators clear, usable insight so they can make better decisions in real time. If you are attending, this is a good chance to step out of the day to day and look at what is really happening across markets, categories, and consumers. IgniteIt Cannabis April 30, Cincinnati, Ohio Use code HEADSET20 if you are planning to join.

How does a cannabis brand scale nationally when the market itself isn’t national? That’s the core question behind the Cannabis Brand Licensing Accelerator, an 8-week, application-only cohort for successful single-state operators preparing to expand into new markets. Cy Scott will be speaking in Session #1 on the U.S. cannabis market and how brand licensing fits: how brands actually perform across legal states, where value gets created, and where it quietly erodes. We're especially excited because David Paleschuck has literally written the book on branding cannabis, and this cohort brings together operators, attorneys, and strategists who’ve actually lived the licensing journey, not just talked about it. This is for founders and operators who are serious about expansion and want to understand what it really takes before making the leap. - The cohort starts May 7 and applications are open here: https://lnkd.in/gDFurj2A David has also generously shared discount codes for our network. Comment here and we’ll get one to you.

Today marks a real shift in federal cannabis policy. On April 23, 2026, the DOJ signed an order reclassifying state licensed medical marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III. It is the first meaningful federal movement since the early days of legalization. There are a few immediate implications: • 280E tax relief for licensed medical operators • Fewer barriers to research and product access • DEA hearings beginning in June for broader rescheduling The policy change matters. The financial impact is where things get more tangible. We modeled this scenario in December. The removal of 280E could unlock between $1.6B and $2.2B annually in after tax cash flow across the industry. That is not a temporary lift. It is a shift in how this market operates day to day. As Cy Scott put it, “This is the most significant federal shift on cannabis since California first legalized medical use nearly 30 years ago. For Headset, it validates what we have believed from the start. This industry was always going to need institutional grade data infrastructure. We built it before the institutions arrived, and now they are arriving.” That last part is the piece to pay attention to. As the regulatory picture becomes clearer, more established industries will start to move in. Financial services, CPG, alcohol. They have been watching for a long time. When they step in, the first question is always the same. Where is the data. That is where the next phase of this industry really starts.

Most cannabis teams don’t just lose time to ordering. They lose insight along the way. When orders are built manually, you’re stuck bouncing between reports, spreadsheets, and emails, trying to piece together what’s selling, what’s sitting, and what each store actually needs. Headset Bridge changes that. Instead of spending 30 minutes pulling reports and building orders, Bridge can generate a data-backed order in about 30 seconds using real sell-through, current inventory levels, and historical sales patterns. The time savings are obvious. The insight is the bigger win. Because every order is built on live retail performance, teams can: • see demand patterns without digging through reports • spot over- or under-stocking before it becomes a problem • understand what’s moving at each store, not just in aggregate • make adjustments quickly, with confidence Orders stay clean, SKUs and pricing stay in sync, and retailers can review and approve in one step. Now the workflow actually tells you why an order looks the way it does. The result is less admin work, clearer signals, and better conversations with retail partners at the same time. If you’re managing inventory or wholesale relationships and want to move faster without losing visibility, Headset Bridge helps you do both. Curious how much time your team could save? Try the ROI calculator: https://lnkd.in/gxC25GsD #CannabisIndustry #MarketIntelligence #RetailData #Headset

Headset data is at the center of some of the most important conversations happening in cannabis right now, and this latest report is a great example of that in action. The 2026 State of the Pre-Roll Market Report from Custom Cones USA uses Headset data to highlight a major shift already underway across the industry. While overall cannabis growth slowed to 1.5% in 2025, pre-rolls continued to expand at a much faster pace, with 9.8% revenue growth and 18.6% unit growth. For the first time, pre-rolls also became the top category by units sold, overtaking every other product type. This is not just a strong segment. It is becoming a central driver of the industry. The report dives into what is fueling that momentum, from the rise of infused products to the dominance of multi-pack formats and the increasing importance of branding as competition intensifies. It is a strong example of Headset data in action. Turning real market performance into insights that brands and operators can actually use. #CannabisIndustry #MarketIntelligence #RetailData #Headset

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4/20 is live. Headset’s real-time dashboard is now tracking what is happening across connected stores throughout the day. Sales velocity, transaction volume, average basket size, and brand movement are updating as the market shifts. This is one of the only times each year you can watch cannabis retail move in real time and see how categories, brands, and consumers respond hour by hour. Follow along as the day unfolds: https://420.headset.io/ #CannabisIndustry #420 #RetailData #Headset

We are kickin' it live tomorrow 10am PT to check in on the Fri/Sat/Sun 420 sales and how things are shaping up for the industries highest holiday.