I Think I Can: An Interview with Lucia Cifonelli, Co-Founder of Cannabis USA

Lucia Cifonelli is Co-Founder of Cannabis USA, a full-service marketing and consulting agency dedicated to growing cannabis brands and products nationwide. Her company also creates and builds brand stories for longevity and loyalty while educating and destigmatizing the cannabis plant to the masses! Capitalizing upon her sales and marketing knowledge from the liquor and hospitality industries, Lucia hopes to bring the same service, dedication, and love for the plant—on both the THC and CBD side—to all. 

We sat down with Lucia to get her thoughts on the present and future of this blooming industry.

What is the current state of affairs for your company?

Cannabis USA launched at the beginning of 2021, focusing on the CBD and THC industries and how to bring our expertise to the industry. We are currently strengthening relationships and building new ones within the space to understand the gaps that people are feeling and how we can grow with our partners. Along with launching Cannabis USA, I am enrolled in The Ganjier, a Cannabis Sommelier Certification Program that is the first of its kind, focusing on the accurate assessment of cannabis quality, artfully executed service, and the business of successful cannabis sales.  

What has been the most surprising and positive thing to come out of the pandemic regarding CBD and the overall wellness sector? What do you think the impact will be in the next few years?

The pandemic has shifted buying patterns for retailers and consumers. Retail closures halted a lot of sales, but as we see more and more retail venues open, the wellness category will be on the forefront of the consumer’s mind.

CBD is an important player in the wellness sector and, with the right brands and information about brands, it’s going to continue to grow annually by 40 percent or $5.3 billion by 2025.

In the cannabis industry, being deemed essential kept people employed and shops open, as well as aided in the passage of the MORE Act on Dec. 4, 2020, marking the first time a chamber of Congress approved legislation to end federal marijuana prohibition. There is still a lot of work to be done but, with determination and education, we are getting closer to legalization on the federal level.


What do you think will be the next big trend in CBD?


CBD is the new hottest trend. CBD is one of many compounds found in the hemp plant, so next will be all the different specific compounds and how they can help reduce daily stress and pain. We see things like CBD-A, which is the acidic compound of CBD that can relieve nausea or inflammation; CBN is a great sleep aid, along with CBDV, CBG, and CBC to name some other active compounds we are learning more about along with CBD.


The more information that is accurate and the more that brands are transparent, the more products will be seen in the market, giving the consumer options for different applications they will want to enjoy and try.