Welcome to Rise & Roll, a bi-weekly newsletter that keeps you smart, savvy, and always in the loop on the latest in cannabis.

Here’s what we have on deck for today…

1. The beverage trend

2. Cannabis smell becomes probable cause in Illinois

3. NFL's new cannabis policy

The beverage trend

Here's why cannabis drinks could be the next big thing:

1. Young people are drinking less alcohol, but they still want fun drinks at parties and social events that give them a buzz

2. Drinks are easier for new consumers to try than smoking, which means companies can create cool brands that appeal to more people

3. Hemp-based drinks have a huge advantage because they pay way less in taxes, have fewer rules to follow, and can sell online (unlike regular cannabis products)

Yeah, making and shipping heavy cans costs a lot of money — but that’s not stopping this trend from taking off.

More and more people are reaching for cannabis drinks instead of alcohol, and large beverage conglomerates are starting to take notice.

• Rebel Rabbit just inked a deal with Anheuser-Busch

• Boston Beer Company recently launched Emerald Hour

Cannabis smell becomes probable cause in Illinois

Illinois' Supreme Court just ruled that cops can search your car if they smell raw cannabis.

But burnt cannabis? Totally fine!

Here’s the logic:

• While smoking in vehicles is illegal, the court says burnt smell could be leftover from legal consumption elsewhere

• Meanwhile, raw cannabis odor suggests improper storage

For consumers, please make sure to use odor-proof containers when in transit!

For cannabis brands, this ruling creates an opportunity in the odor-proof packaging space — time to innovate or partner with companies solving this challenge.

NFL's new cannabis policy

The NFL just became a little more cool on cannabis.

The league recently:

• Slashed THC testing thresholds by more than double (150 to 350 nanograms/ml)

• Reduced penalties — first violation fines now cap at $15K instead of half a game check.

With NFL veterans — Marshawn Lynch, Calvin Johnson, Rob Sims, Ricky Williams, Terrell Davis, Marvin Washington, Joe Montana, Eugene Monroe, and Carson Palmer — already in the cannabis game, the timing's perfect for brands to explore partnerships with current players.

If you enjoyed this edition of Rise & Roll, please share it with your friends!

We’ll be back with another edition on Tuesday. See you then!

To stay up-to-date on cannabis news, visit us at riseandroll.news.