"This research validates what we've been seeing firsthand: premium in cannabis is defined by performance, not price," said Corinne Butler, SVP of Growth, Azuca. "Fast-acting products earn top placement because consumers are willing to pay more for quality and consistency."

Cameron ForniPhoto by Fred Morledge, courtesy of Adaptaphoria. He built one of the most successful vaporizer‑oil brands in the United States. Then came one of the biggest exits the cannabis industry had ever seen.Cameron Forni was the driving force behind Select, the premium oil label that once dominated dispensary shelves nationwide. In 2019, its parent, Cura Partners, agreed to an all‑stock sale to Curaleaf, initially valued at nearly $950 million — the largest cannabis deal of its day. When market headwinds arrived, Curaleaf trimmed the share count and tied part of the payout to revenue milestones, cutting the guaranteed price to about $260 million (per independent estimates) and putting the high‑end potential around $650 million, but the transaction still stands as a touchstone brand exit. “Stepping away from the cannabis hardware space after the Select acquisition was a deeply personal decision,” Forni says