Cannabis-infused drinks are growing in popularity, offering a discreet, convenient, and enjoyable way to consume cannabinoids. They provide a gradual, long-lasting effect similar to edibles but absorb faster. Options include pre-packaged beverages, shot-style drinks, and customizable homemade cannabis cocktails.
- Cannabis-infused drinks: broad category, varying legality
- Gradual effects, faster absorption than edibles
- Increasing popularity due to ease of use and discretion
- Pre-packaged drinks, shots, and homemade options available
- No hangovers, but be cautious with alcohol-cannabis combos
Cannabinoid edibles have a long history, with recipes just in the US dating back many decades.
Now, cannabis-infused drinks are having their moment in the sun. These beverages work similarly to edibles but offer new opportunities for flavors, experiences, and on-the-go enjoyment.
Curious about cannabis-infused drinks? Wondering how THC-infused cocktails and other options compare to other methods of enjoying cannabinoids? Keep reading to learn more about these tasty and potent beverages.
The Basics on Cannabis-Infused Drinks: What You Need to Know
The idea of cannabis-infused beverages is pretty simple, in large part because it’s so broad. The cannabis-infused drinks category, at least in a casual definition, includes just about any drinkable liquid that contains some type of cannabinoid.
That means cannabinoid-infused drinks can be:
- Drinks containing Delta 9 THC harvested from cannabis plants. These drinks are legal on a state-by-state basis for medical or recreational use. However, they are not legal federally.
- Drinks containing cannabinoids derived from hemp plants. These drinks are legal federally, thanks to the 2018 Farm Bill. However, some states — many, although not all of them with legal recreational cannabis programs — have laws restricting or prohibiting them.
So, this category includes canned and bottled beverages that look similar to sodas or beers. It also includes smaller-format shots, which might remind you of energy shots sold at gas stations and convenience stores. It also includes homemade drinks containing cannabinoid tinctures and oils.
Cannabinoid drinks are like edibles in the sense that the body absorbs the active ingredient in a similar way. As with edibles, drinks are swallowed and then metabolized by the liver.
This leads to a longer-lasting high with a more gradual come-up and come-down. However, liquids are more quickly absorbed than solids (i.e. edibles), so users often start feeling effects around 10-20 minutes, instead of the 30-90 minutes that’s common with edibles.
People use cannabis-infused drinks to enjoy their effects, which can be recreational, health-related, or both.
The recreational benefits are very straightforward. For many users, cannabinoids help them feel relaxed. They can cause an elevated mood, a heightened sense of creativity, and other generally good feelings.
Many health-related benefits of cannabinoids still require more research to be proven on a scientific or medical level. However, many users believe cannabinoids can help with issues like inflammation and pain. Because cannabinoids also tend to have mild side effects when used at their recommended dosage, they’re a popular option.
Why Did Cannabis-Infused Drinks Skyrocket in Popularity?
Even in an industry that’s grown rapidly, cannabis-infused drinks seem to have emerged as a high-demand product in a very short time.
Politico offers an explanation. When Minnesota approved the production and sale of hemp-derived beverages as part of a partial legalization bill, it created a market for cannabinoids like THC in drinks.
These drinks are now broadly popular. They’re sold by a wide range of stores, bars, and other businesses in Minnesota. And they’re catching on in many other states as well.
There are a number of potential reasons why consumers like these drinks, including:
- Ease of use. There are no vape pens, pipes, lighters, papers, or any other tools needed to enjoy pre-packaged cannabinoid drinks. Additionally, cannabinoid drinks are intended to contain a single dose, so it’s difficult to take too much.
- Similarity to other drinks. The concept of drinking a beverage for pleasure, whether it’s a glass of fresh fruit juice or a cocktail, is simple and widely understood.
- More familiar to users. People who are hesitant to try smoking or vaping may find drinking cannabinoids to be less intimidating and more acceptable.
- No negative effects like those of alcoholic drinks. Cannabis-infused drinks don’t cause hangovers and other side effects in the same way as alcoholic drinks.
- Discreet nature. Cannabis-infused beverages don’t signal to others that someone is enjoying cannabinoids unless they get a close look at the label.
Options for Cannabis-Infused Drinks: How to Enjoy These Tasty and Potent Beverages
Want to try liquid cannabis drinks for yourself? You have plenty of options! Major product categories under this very broad label include:
Pre-Packaged Cannabis-Infused Drinks
These drinks are increasingly common and easy to find. They look like many other bottled or canned beverages and normally contain a single dose of cannabinoids. Generally, that means 5-10 milligrams of Delta 9 or the equivalent dose of another stronger or weaker cannabinoid.
When made well, pre-packaged cannabis-infused drinks don’t have a strong cannabinoid flavor because of their serving size. Additionally, they’re available in a wide variety of flavors.
Shot-Style Drinks
Shot-style liquid cannabis drinks are small but mighty. They look like the small-format energy drinks sold by convenience stores and similar retailers.
These smaller beverages can have a stronger cannabinoid flavor than other options because of their size. However, they’re also convenient and easy to store. If you want to start feeling the effects of cannabinoids a little more quickly than is possible by sipping on a full-size drink, this option may be for you.
Homemade Drinks: THC Mocktails & Cannabis Cocktails
Homemade drinks require more preparation and aren’t as portable as the other options listed here. However, they’re endlessly customizable and can be tailored to your exact preferences.
Homemade drinks often use tinctures and oils to add cannabinoids. After that, they can be anything you want them to be. Here, we share a few simple recipes for cannabinoid drinks.
It’s important to note that you can mix alcohol into cannabis-infused drinks, but you should be careful when doing so. Combining alcohol and cannabinoids can lead to potent effects, so it’s important to enjoy these beverages in moderation. If you’re new to THC-infused cocktails, try a drink that just has cannabinoids first and feel the full experience before adding alcohol.
Cannabis-Infused Drinks You Can Count On
Delta 8 Resellers is proud to offer hemp-based and federally legal cannabis-infused drinks from the leading brands in the industry! We care about your experience, so we only partner with manufacturers that have long track records of quality, safety, and customer satisfaction.
