With a slick, minimal aesthetic, MedMen’s approach to selling marijuana has drawn comparisons to mega-brands Apple and Starbucks. By creating a welcoming brick-and-mortar space, it’s hoping to normalize cannabis use – not just for stoners and those who need it medically, but for the masses.

As the legalization movement has destigmatized marijuana use across the US, weed-centric start-ups, lifestyle brands, and media companies have flourished. And while cannabis culture is nothing new, the modern iteration of it, which incorporates health and a high-end aesthetic, certainly is.

America's Rebel Coast Winery is developing a sauvignon blanc that contains THC, the psychoactive chemical component of cannabis. Though people are increasingly embracing cannabis culture, lacing wine – a socially acceptable tipple – with the chemical could go a step further to normalizing its use.

Coca-Cola has signaled its interest in the emerging market for CBD-infused beverages, saying it may be investing in a Canadian cannabis brand in the near future. The potential move could cater to those turning their backs on sugared drinks, in favor of healthier alternatives.