Native Roots pumpkin spiced cannabis part of new seasonal push

Move aside, Starbucks — pumpkin spice is now the domain of cannabis.

What's happening: Colorado's Native Roots is releasing its pumpkin spice marijuana vape pen cartridges this week, and expects them to go as fast as drive-through lattes based on booming sales in the prior two years.

Why it matters: It's more than a gimmick. Colorado cannabis companies are seeing sales slide after years of riding high, and they're looking for new ways to draw legal customers.

The intrigue: The flavors of pumpkin pie — cinnamon, ginger, anise and clove — are actually natural chemical compounds in cannabis.

• The terpenes that hold the flavor are extracted from the plant and combined in a proprietary blend for the vape pens, the company tells Axios.

What they're saying: "This is just something to add freshness, newness for our customers," Native Roots spokesperson Buck Dutton says. "Everybody else is playing in the pumpkin spice world — why not let cannabis, too?"

What's next: Native Roots is still deciding on its holiday flavors and considering eggnog or peppermint bark options.

Yes, but: Advocates for tougher regulations on marijuana worry that flavored THC or tobacco products will appeal to children. They want to see the products banned.

• "We must ask why the marijuana industry insists on selling flavored THC products that are proven to appeal to kids," says Alton Dillard, a spokesperson for One Chance, which advocates for more limits on marijuana to keep products away from children.