Last updated: August 25, 2025 12:41 pm
“I’m just giving people what they want. We’re giving them choices, somethin’ real, somethin’ that vibes with their lifestyle. It’s about creating that alternative, that go-to, for every occasion. Cannabis has been a part of our culture forever. Cannabis, these drinks, it’s all about wellness, about living your best life,” Snoop Dogg says in an exclusive interview. When he talks, he still lands his message like a direct hit on the zeitgeist, with candid words rooted in decades of cultural sway.
Earlier this year, the rap legend stepped into new territory once again. This time, it’s not music or film, but a full-on dive into functional beverages with Iconic Tonics, a portfolio of seven hemp- and cannabis-infused brands. Think of it like a supergroup album: each drink is a soloist with its own flavor, personality and vibe.
Functional Beverages On the Rise
The timing could not be sharper. Analysts value the U.S. functional beverage market at around $50 billion, with projections climbing toward $62 billion by 2027. Globally, the category already surpasses $220 billion as health-conscious consumers shift away from sugar-heavy sodas and high-proof booze.
Cannabis beverages are one of the fastest-rising segments in this mix. Forecasts suggest the global cannabis drinks market could rocket from $2 billion in 2023 to more than $117 billion by 2032, with U.S. sales alone topping $80 billion. For Snoop, it is about catching that wave early and making sure it rides in style.
Gen Z is already leading the shift, drinking 20% less alcohol than Millennials did at the same age. The result has been a surge in non-alcoholic sparkling waters, adaptogenic tonics and hemp-based seltzers. Iconic Tonics fits right into that landscape.
Behind the Brand
At the center of the project is Evan Eneman, co-founder and CEO of Iconic Tonics. His history with Snoop goes back over 15 years, starting in the music world before evolving into cannabis ventures. Together, they helped launch Casa Verde Capital in the early 2010s. By 2018, Eneman shifted toward functional drinks, sensing an opening for innovation beyond alcohol.
“We’ve been grinding for six years in an ever-changing landscape,” Eneman says. “We believe in craft, we believe in building a purposeful foundation first, and we want to uplift and inspire people with healthier options.”
That vision eventually crystallized into Iconic Tonics: a portfolio designed not around one big flagship brand but around a constellation of smaller, targeted ones. “A single brand can’t capture the full range of consumer preferences,” Eneman explains. “Growth depends on the collective shift in how people frame ‘social drinking.’”
The Iconic Tonics Lineup
Like a festival lineup, each brand in the portfolio speaks to a different audience:
- Klaus, craft mocktails guided by mixologist Warren Bobrow
- Herbacée, a wine-inspired creation from sommelier Jamie Evans and entrepreneur Cynthia Salarizadeh
- Malus, a cider crafted by a master brewer
- Lifeblood by Love Yer Brain, imagined with Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips
- Lift, hemp-infused seltzers designed for balance and relaxation
- Do It Fluid and Dogg lbs Doggy Spritz, Snoop’s own hemp-derived THC brands blending his cultural weight with Harmony Craft Beverages’ expertise
The idea is to cover every base, from mocktails to cider to seltzers to THC spritzers, all under one umbrella. Or, as Snoop puts it: “We went from rollin’ up joints, to munchin’ on them edibles, now we sippin’ on infused drinks. Why? We giving people options for every occasion. Most people can’t smoke everywhere, and edibles do what they do. But drinks? You sip, you feel it, nice and easy. You can pace yourself, keep it mellow, keep it smooth. It’s like a chill cruise, not a high-speed chase. Plus, it’s discreet and you can mix it up with all kinds of flavors. Iconic Tonics, that’s the next wave, believe that.”
Celebrity Power, Market Momentum
Snoop is not alone in staking out this new frontier. Other cultural heavyweights including Seth Rogen, Gwyneth Paltrow and Big Freedia have also leaned into THC- and CBD-laced drinks. But Snoop’s approach stands apart: not just a single product, but a full ecosystem of beverages built to meet consumers where they are.
And the market is following. Retailers like Total Wine & More and delivery platforms like DoorDash have begun stocking cannabis or hemp drinks, with DoorDash recently explaining its cannabis and hemp strategy.
For Snoop and Eneman, the bigger play is cultural. They want cannabis drinks to become as common at parties, concerts and home fridges as craft beer or hard seltzers. “Game recognizes game,” Eneman says. “If we do this right, it’s not just a product, it’s a movement.”
The Next Wave
The market will ultimately decide how fast cannabis beverages go mainstream. But Snoop Dogg is not hedging. By bundling multiple brands into one portfolio, he is betting that functional drinks will reshape how people celebrate, relax and socialize.
And if history is any guide, from “Gin & Juice” to Doggy Spritz, when Snoop sets the tone, culture usually follows.
This story was originally published on Forbes in March 2025 and has been updated and adapted for High Times.
