The Growing Trend of Cannabis Beverages

Over the years, there has been a significant increase in the use of cannabis for medicinal and recreational purposes. Despite cannabis being illegal under federal law in the United States of America, most states have taken up the task of legalizing it for various reasons. This fact has been the most significant contributor to the increase in the purchase and use of cannabis. In the past, the most common way of consuming it has been through inhaling the smoke of burnt cannabis flower, but with evolving technology, more ways to consume it have come up by using edibles. The edible way of consuming cannabis is either in solid or liquid form. This article will focus on the growing trend of cannabis consumption in the liquid form buy weed online

The increased demand and consumption of cannabis have led to significant changes in the production process. Producers are coming up with new ways to deliver the product to stay relevant in the market. One way has been introducing cannabis beverages produced by infusing a drink of choice with cannabis extract or concentrate. 

At the beginning of this new wave of consuming cannabis in liquid form, there was little penetration of such drinks in the market. This was mainly due to the unpleasant taste and inconsistency caused by the infusing process. The compounds in the cannabis plant (cannabinoids), such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), are fat-soluble and not easily mixed with water. Therefore most drinks would have the cannabis oil and the water separating, creating undesirable effects. This pushed manufacturers to develop new ways of infusing the extract without altering the drink’s taste and effect by using advanced emulsification technology. Another hindrance faced when these cannabis beverages were first introduced was the onset time or the length of time it took a consumer to feel the drug’s effects. As with the solid edible forms of cannabis ingested orally, cannabinoids are absorbed in the stomach and liver, slowing down the drug’s effects. This was undesirable to many consumers, making the manufacturers develop ways to shorten the onset time by breaking down the cannabis extract into smaller molecules, allowing faster absorption. The concentration and dosage of the active cannabis ingredients (THC and CBD) often differ depending on the manufacturers and consumer preferences.  

There is a wide range of cannabis beverages to pick from in the market, including; herbal teas, sparkling water, non-alcoholic beer, non-alcoholic wines, powders to mix in water, and many more. These beverages offer different amounts of active cannabis ingredients, and a consumer is free to choose as high or as low as they would prefer. The most significant advantage of cannabis beverages has been offering consumers a smoke-free option to those who do not like smoking it and also reducing the potential health risks smoke can cause in the long run. With the introduction of non-alcoholic beer infused with cannabis extract, non-alcohol consumers now have an alternative that they can enjoy socially without feeling left out.