One of the latest innovations in cannabis is beverages.
- While edibles have always been popular, it’s taken a while for manufacturers to figure out how to create drinks with a pleasant texture and flavor.
When they first came out with beverages, the texture was grainy like oatmeal and they tasted like pure marijuana. The difficulty is that cannabinoids are not water soluble. After a lot of trial and error, there are now cannabis beverages in a wide array of options. My local cannabis dispensary offers colas, tonics, cannabeer and mocktails. I prefer cannabis-infused beverages in place of alcoholic beverages. They are great for energizing, relaxing and mellowing out but don’t cause a hangover. Most of the cannabis-infused beverages are quite low in THC and have very mild intoxicating effects. They are available in indicas, sativas, hybrids and pure CBD. The labels are accurate and with one bottle equalling a portion, dosing is easy. Conventional edibles have delayed effects because the cannabinoids need to be absorbed through the digestive tract before entering the bloodstream. Beverages are different because the cannabinoids are absorbed through the blood vessels under the tongue. This provides a faster onset of effects. Cannabis-infused beverages don’t require any extra gear, skills or knowledge. They are great for beginners. Plus, they are especially discreet. They don’t cause any ash, smoke or odors. I appreciate that beverages are portable. I can bring them with me if I go on a hike, bike ride or take my kayak out on the lake. Whenever I visit the dispensary, I look to see if they have any new beverages on the shelves.