All About Weed Drinks: A New and Refreshing Way to Enjoy Cannabis

For those who enjoy relaxing (or energizing) with a stimulating drink, the rising popularity of THC and CBD beverages has ushered in a new and exciting way to do so. Cannabis beverages are a convenient and refreshing smoke-free way to enjoy cannabis – that’s also an excellent substitution for alcohol or conventional energy drinks. If you’re new to the world of weed drinks, keep reading. We’re going to dive into everything you need to know about cannabis beverages and their growing place in the legal marijuana market.

What Makes Cannabis Drinks Different?

One of the best things about weed beverages is their versatility. There is truly a cannabis drink for every need and preference. Some THC drinks are made with energizing strains, others are CBD-heavy, encouraging deep relaxation or pain relief, while still others deliver just the right buzz to elevate creativity, socializing, or nearly any other activity. And cannabis drinks aren’t limited by beverage preference. Whether you prefer coffee, tea, sparkling water, or even wine, there’s a cannabis-infused version for you!

When it comes to cannabinoid metabolism, cannabis drinks are most similar to edibles. Both types of digestible cannabis take longer to kick in than inhaled cannabis and both tend to have stronger and longer-lasting effects. However, liquid digests faster than solid food, so the effects of cannabis drinks can be felt much more quickly than those of most edibles.

How Is Cannabis Added to Beverages?

Crafting cannabis-infused beverages is a bit more complicated than most other types of cannabis creations. Cannabinoids (such as THC and CBD) are oil-soluble, which is ideal when creating edibles like cookies and candies, but poses a unique challenge for water-based beverage recipes. To work around this issue while retaining optimum cannabinoid bioavailability, most cannabis beverage makers utilize emulsifiers to smoothly integrate cannabis oils into their drinks – without encountering separation or chunky textures.

The Many Benefits of Cannabis Drinks

Several factors make cannabis drinks the consumption method of choice for many users. The impressive benefits of cannabis drinks include:

• Dose control – Since cannabis beverages are sold in single-serving portions, it’s easy to monitor exactly how much THC and/or CBD you’re consuming.
• Portability – Single-serving cannabis drinks are easy to grab and go, and small enough to easily tuck into a lunchbox or backpack. Cannabis shots are even smaller and can easily be transported in a purse or coat pocket.
• Quick onset – While still not quite as fast as inhalation, consuming cannabis in liquid form imparts similar effects to consuming edibles, but with a significantly faster onset.
• Smoke-free – Cannabis drinks are ideal for consumers who want to enjoy weed without smoking or vaping it.
• Easy to consume – Not only are cannabis beverages packaged in easily accessible single-serving containers, but the drinks themselves are easy to consume, even for those with sensory, digestive, or jaw issues that might render edible cannabis products difficult to handle.
• Delicious and Refreshing – Today’s cannabis drinks are crafted with high-quality ingredients and a dedicated focus on delivering superb flavor and refreshment that hits the spot.
• Substitution for Other Beverages – Many users have found cannabis beverages an excellent substitution for addictive and often problematic alcoholic beverages or heavily caffeinated energy drinks.

Types of Cannabis Beverages

Here’s a look at the wealth of cannabis beverage options starting to fill the dispensary shelves.

• Coffee – Cannabis-infused coffee options include cold brew and other bottled coffee beverages, as well as infused coffee beans and k-cups to brew your own at home.
• Tea – THC and CBD teas are available as pre-made bottled beverages, as well as infused loose-leaf, pods, pouches, and k-cups to steep the perfect cup at home.
• Juice – From lemonade to tomato juice, infused juices are a sweet and delicious way to enjoy cannabis.
• Soda – Carbonated and sweet, cannabis sodas in a wide range of classic and specialty flavors make a tasty and refreshing pick-me-up or wind-down.
• Seltzer and sparkling water – Infused sparkling water and seltzer beverages are one of the most refreshing ways to consume cannabis. These drinks are typically given an enhancing dose of flavor by adding fruit juice or other botanicals.
• Energy drinks – Take wake-and-baking to the next level with cannabis energy drinks. These drinks typically pair an energizing strain of THC with other tasty and rejuvenating botanicals.
• Mixed drinks – This fun niche includes cannabis beverages modeled after classic alcoholic mixed drink recipes, as well as a host of new concoctions specially crafted for the cannabis market.
• Non-alcoholic beer, wine, and spirits – Cannabis-infused beer, wine, and spirits are an excellent option for those who want the taste and sensation of imbibing classic alcoholic beverages without the dangerous side effects. It is currently illegal in most places to sell products containing both alcohol and cannabis, so these cannabis libations are strictly non-alcoholic.
• Shots – When you want the effects of your cannabis to kick in strong and fast, and without having to down a full beverage, cannabis shots will do the trick. These small drinks are typically packed with a higher cannabinoid concentration, mimicking the strong effects and quick onset of traditional alcoholic shots.

How to Enjoy Cannabis Beverages

Whether you need an early morning energy boost, a social lubricant for a night out, or an easy and enjoyable medical marijuana delivery method, cannabis beverages are a delicious and convenient way to go. Cannabis drinks are typically sold in single-serving-sized containers, keeping in compliance with current legal regulations.

However, if a full bottle or can feels like too much to drink in one sitting and you want to save the rest to enjoy later, it’s important to store the remainder properly. Unless your beverage came in a resealable bottle, it’s advisable to pour the leftover drink into a sealable water bottle or another airtight container. Most weed drinks must be refrigerated after they have been opened.

Handling Cannabis Drinks Safely

Always keep cannabis beverages away from children, pets, or anyone else who should not consume marijuana. Cannabis-infused beverages often taste, smell, and are packaged similarly enough to conventional beverages that it would be easy to mistake the two. Despite the convenience and portability of single-serving cannabis drinks, keep in mind that it is illegal to drive under the influence of THC or have open consumable cannabis containers inside the cab of a traveling motor vehicle.

Where Can You Buy Cannabis Drinks?

Cannabis drinks are a rapidly growing sector of the legal cannabis market, and they’re becoming easier to find at a growing number of dispensaries. While THC drinks are sold at licensed dispensaries only, hemp and CBD drinks are becoming widely available in many health food and conventional grocery stores, as well as online. If you’re ready to give cannabis-infused beverages a try, read through our list below to discover the best CBD and THC drinks on the market and where to find them.

Our Favorite Cannabis Drinks

Once you find a place with cannabis drinks for sale, you will have to choose between some of the many options they offer. Here are some of the best and well-known THC drinks out there and what they contain: