“When cannabis is regulated, it only helps; it doesn’t hurt. At this point, there’s no way to not regulate it and help everybody as opposed to pushing it off like it’s something that doesn’t matter. We’re past that point. This isn’t the Stone Age; it’s the Stoned Age.” Wiz Khalifa, rapper and entrepreneur extraordinaire, shared this quote upon reflecting on the state of cannabis legislation.
It’s understandable where Wiz is coming from, of course, as the rapper developed a strong brand for himself despite governmental protestations against cannabis. His advocacy has pushed the cannabis industry forward, as his now household brand Khalifa Kush is set to enter the European market, starting with Germany. He reveals this and more in an interview ahead of an official announcement.
Wiz Khalifa’s Journey with Cannabis
As someone who grew up in the studio, it was only a matter of time before Wiz pursued the same creative processes many experienced musicians around him participated in. Cannabis became intertwined with that process, Wiz states, explaining how “That’s all I’ve ever been around: smoking and creating. Being around a lot of musicians, all the older cats smoked. When they came to the studio, they would roll up. It didn’t matter if they were 21, 22, or a little bit older; if they had businesses, family, all that… they would come to the studio, and that would be their time to chill out, smoke, and create.”
With maturity came a deeper connection with smoking, Wiz noted. “The older I got and the more I started to do, I would hang out with people like Curren$y, and we would smoke and just go on cool-*ss missions, do things and meet people. This was when Twitter was really popular. So I met a really good group of people, and we could just gather around pot and music; that was our lifestyle. That’s what it really became for me: a community of like-minded people, and we were able to grow. As the laws changed and became less harsh, we were able to more freely express ourselves through pot.”
Eventually, Wiz’s passion for cannabis evolved into the business venture known today as Khalifa Kush. This movement wasn’t merely about branding a product, however, but also sharing the creative lifestyle and experiences he came to love with the rest of the world.
Khalifa Kush Expands to Germany
The determination for quality lies at the center of Khalifa Kush’s expansion into Germany, which the brand has been planning for some time. Khalifa Kush’s CEO DJ Saul stated, “We’ve had our eye on the German market for a few years now.” Entering this market was not taken lightly, as it necessitated a number of regulatory shifts and a partner trustworthy enough to deliver the brand’s renowned product line following the same rigorous standards as what’s found in the US. As such, Khalifa Kush partnered with Sanity Group, based out of Berlin, which leads Germany in its medical cannabis market.
Likewise, Wiz also recognized what could come out of partnering with Sanity Group; seeing how they gelled with his brand’s ethos, Wiz said, “They understand us, our brand, and how to grow [cannabis]… And they’re willing to grow themselves. We’ve been doing this for a long time, so having everything aligned and being able to move forward without being stuck in the usual processes is really important to me. When I partner with companies that know how to handle and what to do with the product, I feel like that’s a good partnership for us.”
German cannabis’s success in the market is set to expand to €1.7 billion ($1.87 billion) by 2025, potentially reaching $4.6 billion by 2034, reflecting a 17.2% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2024 to 2034. This rapid growth, in addition to the country’s record 32,398 kg of imported medical cannabis in 2023, makes Germany a major player in the medical cannabis sector. Bearing in mind this success, Khalifa Kush is going in to help set standards. As Wiz explains, “Our goal around the world is to have people experience the best of cannabis without the negatives or stigmas that come with it.”
Khalifa Kush’s introduction into the German market at this point in time makes the brand poised to make use of the country’s high standards for regulation, helping ensure that only the best products make it out to patients. The adult-use market is also gaining traction given its recent regulations, making Khalifa Kush’s commitment to quality all the more important. As DJ Saul states, “We work closely with our partners to ensure every product that reaches customers adheres to our brand standards across multiple metrics—THC%, humidity levels, trim, etc.—all while staying compliant in each market.”
There are certain regulatory requirements to be mindful of, however, given Germany’s strict regulations. Finn Haensel, founder and CEO of Sanity Group, says, “There are no specific rules in the German medical market around celebrity cannabis brands. However, the advertising of pharmaceuticals in Germany is regulated via the pharmaceutical advertising law (HWG), which we are fully compliant with at all times.”
Despite these challenges, there are also opportunities abound for Khalifa Kush. The brand is viewed as a recreational product in the US, but it must pivot toward medical applications given German regulations, requiring the company to push the medical benefits of their strain’s unique genetics. Haensel and Saul believe this approach will work well with German consumers, especially given the recent legalization of adult-use cannabis.
When it comes to Khalifa Kush, Wiz is ready to invest in global expansion as a way to spread a positive message about cannabis: “Being in Germany, which is a totally new concept, I want to be one of the trailblazers as far as quality goes—not just trying to make money or take advantage of the laws changing, but actually helping people with a good plant and a good product… The goal is to have people rely on and depend on an assortment of Khalifa Kush products instead of smoking bullsh*t.”
