Illegal in South Korea... Cannabis Ingredient Beverages Booming in the U.S.

Unlike South Korea, where cannabis is strictly regulated as a narcotic, an increasing number of U.S. states are legalizing marijuana, leading to a rise in popularity of beverages containing cannabis ingredients. Recently, Forbes reported on the success story of Aaron Northvish (31), who achieved nearly 40 billion KRW in annual sales last year with the cannabis beverage "Brez."

Northvish first smoked marijuana at age 13 in the backyard of a friend's house in the western suburbs of Illinois. For him, it was a very risky experience, as he would have to face his father?a Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives agent?upon returning home. Over the next five years, Northvish was unable to quit marijuana, and his father frequently threatened to arrest Northvish's friends who smoked with him. Reflecting on that time, Northvish said, "Back then, I thought touching marijuana meant stepping onto a slippery slope toward death."

Aaron Northvish holding the hemp drink Brez. Photo by Aaron Northvish Instagram capture

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Disliking school, he dropped out during his freshman year of high school and moved to Florida to complete his degree online. He then attended Palm Beach Atlantic University for two years, but dropped out after getting a marketing job at an app company in San Francisco. Although he achieved outstanding results at work, he was fired after a dispute when the company CEO failed to deliver on a verbal promise of equity. After losing his job, Northvish fell back into his favorite hobby?drugs. At this point, he thought, "I need to find a way to make this profitable somehow."

Times have changed. Northvish is now an entrepreneur running the best-selling brand in the THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) beverage market, which is one of the most dynamic sectors in the cannabis industry. Founded in 2023, Brez produces low-dose cannabis beverages containing THC, CBD (cannabidiol), and Lion's Mane mushroom. The company has shown rapid growth, selling about 1.5 million cans in its first year and, last year, entering more than 2,000 retail stores to achieve sales of $28 million (approximately 3.92 billion KRW). In the first quarter of this year, the company recorded sales of $13 million (about 1.82 billion KRW).

This beverage has established itself in the functional drinks market as an alcohol alternative, and many believe that consuming it offers health benefits such as improved cognitive function and reduced inflammation.

However, in South Korea, importing beverages containing cannabis ingredients is subject to criminal penalties. It is also illegal for Korean nationals to consume cannabis food or beverages, even if they are legally distributed overseas. Therefore, travelers must be especially careful not to smoke marijuana or consume products containing cannabis ingredients while abroad.

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