In a CNBC interview, Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson said the company was aware of CBD, THC and industry trends.
Analysts examined Starbucks' future plans after the statement. Investment bank Cowen and Co. published a 100-page report on Monday identifying the coffee giant as a likely first major chain to market CBD products.
Perhaps more surprising was its conclusion about CBD's prevalence in US culture. Bloomberg reported 6.9% of respondents in Cowen's survey of 2,500 US consumers said they currently used CBD, compared with 4.2% using e-cigarettes and 19.6% identifying as tobacco users.
Cowen predicted 25 million US CBD users by 2025, around 10% of adults.
If the forecast proved correct and Starbucks became the first major marketer, it would certainly not be the first interested company. Molson Coors began talks in November with Canadian public cannabis company HEXO Corp. The following month, Anheuser-Busch InBev announced a $50 million joint investment with Canada's Tilray.
