In the good old days (maybe good isn’t the word, but you get the sentiment), edibles like pot brownies used to be the only way you could ingest weed. If you asked someone for a cannabis-infused beverage they would likely have looked at you like you’re crazy.
Fast forward to today, and cannabis beverages are EVERYWHERE. They may even surpass the traditional edible market as their popularity only continues to grow—but what exactly is the buzz really about? In this article, we’ll break down why cannabis beverages are becoming the next big thing.
The Benefits of a Cannabis-Infused Drink
Cannabis beverages are quickly becoming one of the most popular ways to ingest our favorite herb and for good reason. Weed aficionados and beginners alike are turning to these infused beverages over their traditional edible counterparts for a number of reasons like:
Cannabis-infused drinks encourage a more social experience.
Many of us are used to grabbing an alcoholic beverage with friends or hitting the town, so switching it out for canna-drink is a no-brainer. Instead of bringing a six-pack of beers to the party, you can easily grab a few herbal replacements instead. Unlike a blunt that may get you lit after just a few puffs, you can sip with friends and enjoy your time as your high slowly builds with each sip.
Weed-infused beverages typically kick in quicker than edibles.
Many canna-drinks are specially designed to let you feel the effects sooner than conventional edibles—it’s called nanoemulsion if you’re feeling fancy.
We’ll go into this with a little more detail later but this essentially means that absorption begins inside the mouth through saliva, rather than in your digestive system. This allows the onset of effects to occur in about 30 minutes or less. So next time you reach for a glass of wine after work, maybe grab an infused tea instead to get your nightcap on.
Canna-drinks allow you to take things at your own pace.
Although the effects may kick in faster than edibles, you have the ability to sip at your own speed. You’re a cannabis pro and want to chug a few cans to yourself? Go for it. Maybe you’re a beginner and just want to take your time. That’s fine too.
Cannabis-infused beverages are a great option for new consumers.
Since you feel the effects more quickly than most edibles, it reduces the risk of consuming too much or getting overwhelmed by the effects. In addition, one of the many upsides of cannabis drinks is that you have a lot of flexibility with how you choose to enjoy them.
For example, you can pour it over the rocks or get creative with your own custom mocktail. If you’re feeling nostalgic, you can pour one over some vanilla ice cream like a root beer float. Use your imagination and the possibilities are endless.
What is nanoemulsion?
Now that we know what makes cannabis drinks so great, let’s get a little more into the science behind their fast-acting properties. These drinks are typically infused with cannabis oil, which is not much different from your average weed-infused gummy—but this is where things get a little different, so stay with us.
While cannabis oil may mix easily into batters or chocolates, it does not blend well in pure liquid environments, like a beverage. To paint you an even clearer picture, imagine mixing water and olive oil while cooking or how your salad dressing separates in the fridge. The two will remain separate as much as you try to combine them together for a consistent mixture. So how do we infuse a liquid with cannabis oil and make sure that it stays evenly mixed?
As you can imagine, without expertise in chemistry and innovative technology, it is extremely difficult. Until some extremely nerdy stoners introduced nanoemulsion technology to edibles.
Cannabis nanoemulsions work by taking large oil droplets and chemically breaking them down into teeny-tiny particles that can mix with water in a way that enhances the cannabinoids’ bioavailability (or the way in which our body is able to process it). If anything destabilizes the mixture, the tiny oil droplets can mix back together and cause cloudiness or even a separate layer of oil—but when done right, you get a tasty, evenly-dosed cannabis-infused beverage.
Cheers to Cannabis
With their fast-acting effects, adaptability, and tasty flavors, it is no surprise that cannabis connoisseurs are falling in love with canna-drinks. If you want to crack one open for yourself, come into JARS and see what we have in store for you.
