Last updated : February 17, 2025
THC-infused drinks are popping up in liquor stores, grocery stores, and quick stops across the nation. The brands are packaged in colorful cans and sport trendy names, such as Cann, Cycling Frog, and Wynk, to name a few. Both marketing tactics are intended to be eye-catching and, hopefully—from the manufacturers’ viewpoint—irresistible to curious consumers.
They’re legal in the twenty-four states where recreational marijuana is allowed. Moreover, THC-infused drinks are decriminalized in those states where it isn’t. It’s a little confusing, but we can explain.
Remember the Farm Bill?
The 2018 US Farm Bill classified industrial hemp as an agricultural product. Hemp and marijuana are both in the cannabis family and naturally contain Delta-9 THC. Delta-9 is the component of cannabis that produces the “high.” It’s also the determining factor as to whether a plant is considered to be hemp or marijuana.
The breakdown is simple. Anything under 0.3% THC is classified as a hemp plant. Anything over 0.3% THC is classified as marijuana. Therefore, low-dose THC-infused beverages are allowed to be sold even if marijuana is illegal because it falls in the hemp category.
Manufacturers of THC drinks are happy to float in the gray area that the 2018 US Farm Bill provided in making hemp a marketable product.
How’s it working out?
THC-infused drinks are becoming increasingly popular among young people. Gen Z doesn’t want to become a generation known as having a problem with alcohol. Many of them have made the choice not to drink alcohol but are embracing drinks infused with THC.
Sales are earning revenue for the states and that is a positive factor. However, there’s a learning curve in the process as they maneuver the inroads of marijuana legalization. We’ve got a few examples of how that looks so far.
Minnesota
In July 2022, Minnesota was the first state to pass a law allowing THC drinks to be sold in liquor stores. The state continues to embrace the THC drink industry and it has expanded from cans on store shelves to entrepreneurs in the service industry creating THC-infused specialty drinks to sell in local bars and restaurants. The THC drink business continues to boom in the Land of 10,000 Lakes.
Iowa
Iowa produces two THC drinks that are very popular among its citizens, however, lawmakers have proposed a bill that will make consuming them in a motor vehicle illegal. If passed, the crime will be a misdemeanor and the culprit will be fined $260.
Missouri
Meanwhile, in Missouri, legislatures are moving forward with plans to allow the sale of these drinks statewide but reinforce the fact that gummies and other edibles may only be sold in marijuana dispensaries.
Maine
A group of health experts in Maine is pushing for government regulation that puts age limits on the purchase and use of hemp-derived products. They also want a cap put on the amount of THC added to beverages.
Arizona
Eyebrows are being raised in this southwestern state now that Total Wine & More is offering these types of products. Some worry that without tougher regulations, THC levels may go above the hemp limit without being detected.
Wisconsin
Recreational weed isn’t legal in Wisconsin but these drinks are and it’s being reported that they’re flying off the shelves in convenience stores, bars, and grocery and liquor stores. However, the drinks sold in the state vary in potency from 2.5 milligrams of THC per can up to over 50 milligrams.
Law enforcement encourages citizens to remember that even though they can legally purchase these drinks if they are suspected of being intoxicated, a drug test ensues. If the person has delta-9 THC in their system, they will be prosecuted.
Medical professionals urge caution
It can take up to an hour for THC drinks to take their full effect. Physicians and others are urging consumers to exercise caution when first ingesting THC-infused drinks because they can affect people in different ways. Some suggest taking a few sips and then waiting 15 minutes to self-analyze how you’re feeling. Then, take a few more sips and pause again until you’re able to determine your limits and you don’t over-imbibe.
In addition to age, other factors that cause these drinks to affect individuals to varying degrees include:
- THC amounts – Drinks with higher amounts of THC will have a stronger effect than lower-dose beverages.
- Frequency of use – The amount of time in which people consume multiple drinks affects how the body reacts to the THC that is consumed.
- Body mass index (BMI) – Smaller-framed people may feel the effects more quickly and to a stronger degree than larger people.
- Tolerance levels – Someone who uses marijuana isn’t going to be affected as quickly as those who don’t because they have built up a tolerance to the drug.
The negative effects of having too many THC drinks can include:
- Feelings of anxiety
- Rapid heart rate
- Nausea and vomiting
- Paranoia
- Memory loss
- Disorganized thoughts
- Dizziness
Because drug metabolism slows with age, some believe older adults may be more vulnerable to experiencing negative side effects when consuming too many drinks.
Clearing the air
Marijuana produces feelings of euphoria and a sense of serenity. People who use the drug have long been pegged as having a happy-go-lucky attitude. Someone who goes with the flow. Mellow and laid back are two other characteristics pot smokers are known for.
Ingesting THC in a drink rather than smoking the drug is less invasive to those around the user. Moreover, they can sit at a table in a public place drinking with their friends. Even in states where it’s been legalized, smoking marijuana is not allowed in public.
It’s important to note, however, that as marijuana legalization began spreading across the nation, THC levels in the pot presented in dispensaries for purchase have continuously risen higher and higher. Some marijuana by-products, such as dabs and vapes, have THC concentrations that reach into the 90s!
Regulation would hold manufacturers—and growers alike—in check because at some point they need to realize enough is enough. It stands to reason that eventually, the body may succumb. No one knows what the long-term effects of ingesting such high levels of THC will have on a human either.
We need to get some studies underway because death by THC overdose is no way to find out.
