In case you haven’t heard, an El Nino has arrived, which means this summer will be a warm one. Thankfully, there are plenty of activities to keep us cool, from taking a day trip to one of Oregon’s many scenic beaches, partaking in any water activities in our rivers, or simply enjoying one of the many public fountains around Portland. Sunshine, longer days, and warmer nights inspire social gatherings for outdoor parties, barbeques, and happy hours.
Many summer-time social events include alcohol, and while we enjoy a quality local beer or crafty cocktail as much as the next person, sometimes an alternative would be nice. Thankfully, there is. At Greeley Gallery, you’ll find an assortment of refreshing cannabis-infused beverages whether you’re looking to cool off and relax, have a celebration, or want to enjoy a social gathering without booze and without feeling left out.
What are Cannabis Drinks?
Cannabis drinks are beverages infused with varying ratios of the two major cannabinoids of the cannabis plant – tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD). THC is the compound responsible for the psychoactive experience associated with marijuana; in other words, THC is what gets you high. Meanwhile, CBD is a non-intoxicating compound that won’t get you high but offers many health benefits. Although, actually, both THC and CBD provide health benefits ranging from easing anxiety and chronic pain to protecting your brain cells.
How Are Cannabis Drinks Made?
To create the drinks, manufacturers add water-soluble forms of cannabinoid compounds to the drink’s liquid. The water-soluble THC allows the dissolved compounds to be evenly distributed throughout the drink and helps prevent weedy flavoring. This also enables manufacturers to create various delicious beverage options, including seltzers, champagne, juice, beer, and cocktails.
Being water-soluble also means you feel the effects of THC beverages within about fifteen minutes, similar to smoking dried cannabis or drinking a beer, rather than an hour or more, like edibles. This is because our bodies absorb water-soluble THC rather than having to work its way through our digestive tract.
Greeley Gallery has several options at our North Portland recreation and medicinal cannabis dispensary. Well-known brands like Magic seltzers and Delta 9 juices and lemonades are refreshing at a time, while locally produced Magic Number sodas offer a potent high you can feel good about because they’re made using 100 percent natural ingredients.
Of course, you can always go the DIY route, too. Adding a few drops of any cannabis tincture to allows you to create and customize your own cannabis beverage. However, we should let you know that it takes longer to feel the effects of home-made cannabis drinks because tinctures aren’t water-solvent like the cannabis in manufactured cannabis drinks, and the potency will be more uneven for the same reason – meaning you may ingest more THC in one sip than the next.
Safety First
While it’s great that manufacturers have found a way to mute or eliminate any weedy flavors from most beverages, it also means we can drink an entire bottle of a cannabis beverage quicker than we sometimes should. Like alcohol, knowing your tolerance before gulping down a whole THC seltzer is essential.
Greeley Gallery recommends reading any cannabis-infused beverage’s serving size, ingredients, and potency before drinking it. Especially considering that, like edibles, cannabis drinks come with varying potencies – some options contain as few as 10 mg of THC or less, which is ideal for anyone new to the cannabis world. For more experienced marijuana users, many cannabis drinks offer 45 to 50 mg of THC, and for experts, a few options contain as much as 100 mg or more.
Like any other cannabis consumption method, we advise new cannabis consumers to start with lower dosages and add slowly to build their tolerance. Also, it’s a good idea to eat something fatty while savoring your cannabis beverage. It doesn’t need to be anything big or high calorie, adding some cream to your cannabis coffee is enough, or some chips with your soda. Like alcohol, cannabis-infused beverages on an empty stomach can sometimes have unfavorable effects.
Final Thoughts
Cannabis-infused beverages are just another reason to add to the list of reasons cannabis is awesome. Weed drinks offer an alternative to alcohol that enhances your experiences while providing additional health benefits. Not to mention, you’ll never wake up hungover, no matter how much you drink. But really, cannabis drinks are just a nice way to enjoy a summer day, whether that means going for a hike, gardening, or simply reading in a park – did we mention that Arbor Lodge Park is right around the corner from our cannabis dispensary?
And look, while we love the diversity of cannabis products available, we also know it can be overwhelming to choose. But we’re here to help. Greeley Gallery’s excellent and friendly staff is always happy to answer your questions or offer a recommendation. We’re open seven days a week between 7 am and 10 pm for your convenience.
Written By: Katrina Paulson
