Who will be the next Starbucks of weed?

Picture the scene: it's been a tough day, you're feeling a bit tense and have some time to kill. You go to Nesprespliff, a coffee chain, and order a Moroccan squeeze with a space cake gluten-free. You sit back on a sofa and relax...

If this scenario seems illusory in France, imagine you're in the United States, where the market is eyeing the cannabis market with ravenous anticipation of future decriminalization. Where Snoop Dogg announced last week the launch of Merry Jane, its media platform, which aims to become the global encyclopedia of weed.

Meanwhile, new research suggests that cannabis is rapidly becoming more democratic. The study predicts that cannabis will become an increasingly familiar ingredient in the kitchen, as the restaurant industry works to satisfy the desire for new culinary sensations and the demand for less sweet and calorific alternatives to alcohol.

Gourmets are starting to try out new dishes, such as a cannabis-marinated salmon. And with the rise of recreational cannabis use, some companies are taking a closer look.

Matt Gray, General Manager of the US site The Stoner's Cookbook, predicts that the marijuana market will reach over $10 billion within 5 years, with edibles accounting for 40%. This is anything but a niche market: 111 million Americans have already consumed cannabis.

Many products containing cannabis are already available where permitted by law From hash-infused chocolate juice to cannabis butter, the possibilities are endless. By trying to keep the THC intact, the products play on both the plant's psychoactive character and its taste. Compelling & Rich's, a Los Angeles-based company, markets marijuana-infused coffee beans, for example, prepared in a process in which the THC is burned off.

Opinions differ on the use of cannabis as a culinary ingredient. For some, the taste of the leaf is very bitter. For others, it depends on the weed variety used. And this is where connoisseurs can demonstrate their creativity in the kitchen. The best effects are reportedly achieved by combining cannabis with fats such as butter, olive oil or cream. Used in this way, it's just another herb, with particular aromas and a unique taste for each variety.

Of course, it's too early to say whether cannabis will really become the new culinary frontier, and whether big chains like Starbuck's will get involved in the cannabis business. The law will undoubtedly dictate the possibilities open to gourmets. But there's sure to be a debate between legislators and culinary enthusiasts!