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How Serendipity Led Paul Weaver to Merge 2 Career Paths: Cannabis and Beverages
The Boston Beer Company's head of cannabis likens the plant to any other CPG category
Paul views cannabis as a force for good in the world and dedicates his career to bringing high-quality products to new consumers in a safe, friendly and consistent manner. He is a product developer with over a decade of experience across both the alcohol and cannabis industries. Currently, Paul leads The Boston Beer Company’s Canadian cannabis division. In 2022, Boston Beer launched TeaPot, a line of THC-infused iced teas.
We spent a few minutes with Paul to learn more about his background, inspirations and how he feels about the normalization of cannabis.
Where did you grow up and where do you live now?
I’m an Arizona kid. I grew up in Mesa, went to Arizona State University, and I am a lifelong Phoenix sports fan. I moved to Toronto in 2011 to pursue career opportunities. An unequivocally legal cannabis market, Canada is home to me now.
How did you first get interested in cannabis?
Growing up in Arizona, pot was incredibly taboo. But moving to Canada changed my perspective on cannabis consumption, and I found myself becoming a passionate advocate for access. In 2017, I was working for a Canadian beer company and it was clear that marijuana was to become a federally legalized category. I took the chance to pursue cannabis and never looked back.
How did you cross over into cannabis from the drinks space?
In many ways it is serendipity. I started in the beverage industry, made the leap into the burgeoning cannabis category and eventually merged my two career paths into making cannabis beverages. Boston Beer already had the reputation as one of the most innovative beverage companies in the world. So, it was no surprise they were just as passionate about this opportunity as I was.
What’s a recent project you’re proud of?
Our flagship product line is TeaPot, a line of non-carbonated THC-infused iced teas. TeaPot’s brand purpose is to de-stigmatize the category and make cannabis consumption a joyous, communal experience. In June, we launched a campaign dubbed “Take Your Mom to the Dispensary Day.” TeaPot declared the Saturday before Mother’s Day a promotional holiday to promote education and shared consumption across generations. We activated the promotion across digital, social, PR and retail. We can’t wait to celebrate TYMTTDD every year.
Describe the biggest challenge cannabis marketers face today, and how to approach it.
Cannabis faces similar marketing restrictions as Big Tobacco but without the legacy brand awareness. Paid media and above-the-line marketing is tightly restricted, which leaves the toolbox pretty scarce. Ultimately, product quality largely has to speak for itself, with word of mouth driving that awareness. But an important lever is the relationship we have with our budtenders, the clerks. Many consumers don’t know what they want when they enter a dispensary and seek guidance from the store staff. TeaPot makes a tremendous effort keeping budtenders informed and engaged with our brand. They are invaluable partners in our continued success.
What’s one thing about how the cannabis industry is evolving that you’re excited about?
The continued normalization of cannabis as part of our ambient lives. We forget just a few short years ago how taboo the notion of “legal weed” was. And now in 2026, roughly 75 percent of Americans have state-level legal access to some form of cannabis. We’re way past the tipping point and it’s becoming just like any CPG category.
How are you building a brand and a category at the same time?
Awareness of THC drinks is surprisingly small, which means we have the chance for TeaPot to become synonymous with the category. Success ultimately requires the discipline of constant education. Every time we talk about TeaPot we start with the assumption the person on the other side has never consumed cannabis before in their lives.
What would you be doing if you weren’t working in the cannabis industry?
Honestly, I’d still work for a beer company.
2 Minutes With is our regular interview series where we chat with creatives about their backgrounds, creative inspirations, work they admire and more. For more about 2 Minutes With, or to be considered for the series, please get in touch.
