Eager to understand the evolution of Minnesota’s THC drink phenomenon, we sat down with John who’s just returned buzzing from the explosion of THC drinks. Hear his firsthand account of this unique cultural adventure and potential blueprint for other states.
Tell us a little about yourself?
I am 45 and live in Denver, Colorado. I have lived up and down the Front Range enjoying the lifestyle options the state provides…including the culture and access to marijuana and hemp products.
I have gone through a few evolutions of relationship with cannabis. Early on, like for many others, it was focussed around social and party scenes. Later on it became more of an evening ritual to assist with sleep. And now it is just more of an occasional option when I am meditating or relaxing.
What’s the one thing that really stood out to you in Minnesota?
The biggest thing that surprised me is how often I was seeing THC drinks at so many different types of establishments; like restaurants, coffee shops, breweries, gas stations and convenience stores… and then advertised as being sold in other places that I passed by like smoke shops, dedicated Hemp/CBD retailers, and random shops at any given corner.
Would you say Minnesotans are embracing the hemp D9 drink revolution?
I believe the answer is yes. Minimally from the business side. What I mean is, obviously the retailers and other establishments as mentioned are embracing and readily providing a slew of options. Now, I assume the public embrace is there as well since the state voted in legal recreational cannabis.
Currently, outside of one dispensary located on a reservation, there aren’t any other recreational cannabis dispensary’s open yet until the state figures out its licensing system, which is estimated maybe in 2025 per some locals I talked to at a CBD retail store in Duluth.
So I think everyone is embracing and taking advantage of the hemp derived options for now.
Could Minnesota’s approach to hemp D9 drinks serve as a model for other states?
I don’t see why not. I think it’s great that they didn’t limit where or how it’s sold. Truly giving it the accessibility and potential to be an alternate option for any walk of folks no matter where they shop. It’s easy, you don’t have to look up or go find a “hemp specialty shop”. You can literally pop in somewhere and get one as easily as you would a soda or beer.
Which THC drinks did you try in MN?
I only tried one while on this trip, it was at a nice little resort restaurant up on the North Shore called Ledge Rock Grille. They had a handful of options, and the one that stuck out to me was the “Trail Magic Half and Half” — to be noted here, I had the 5mg THC can, I noticed on their website afterwards that they have a 10mg advertised as well.
The Half and Half would be your direct comparison to a John Daly (Half tea, half lemonade, with vodka) or Arnold Palmer (no alcohol). I’ve always been a fan of those beverages—so I gave it a go as I had not had the opportunity for an infused variation yet! It was great. Not too sweet—interestingly, it was a seltzer style with carbonation.
They had a couple other options on the menu, which was under the category ‘Infused Beverages’, which included a 5mg THC+5mg CBD from Bent Paddle (one of the premier local breweries), a 25mg CBD only option from Hop Water, and one other THC option from another local brewery called Blacklist.
When the server brought it out, they presented it just like a beer, offered me a glass, and poured it when I accepted.
How often do you enjoy a THC drink?
Currently I consume 2-3 THC beverages a week. This is a direct result of currently participating in dry January. So yes, I am augmenting my usual alcohol intake with more THC drinks.
Previously I would only enjoy a THC beverage occasionally on a weekend—maybe one every week or two at best. We’ll see where this goes after this month and if my augmentation sticks!
What would you tell someone who’s never tried a THC drink, but is curious?
Well, just like anything, I recommend trying it a few times before making judgement or forming strong opinions about what you think you feel. Here is why; In my experience it takes some practice to recognize and understand the impact of a new experience. Most people I talk to are ‘unsure’ of how it felt the first time, but after the second or third time they can articulate in a much more clear way what they feel and the impact it had on them.
I have yet to talk to anyone that has tried a THC drink and had a bad experience. I believe that this is partly because most of the drinks are around the 5 mg THC dosing, which is very reasonable.
You will hear stories about these “horrible experiences after consuming edibles” and such, but upon investigation, you’ll find that most of these are stories about overdosing and consuming 20-50, or even 100+mg of THC at a time! Which is a ridiculous amount, even for a regular user.
So my strong recommendation to anyone interested in trying; Start with research, do some reading. Talk to your friends or peers that may have some experience, and consider talking to your doctor about it as well. Many doctors will have open dialog about it with you, and you should especially have this conversation if you are on other medications or treatments, as the interaction between those and THC should be considered.
And finally, go to a retail shop that will have someone you can ask questions to as well. Like a CBD shop, or health and wellness retailer—apposed to your corner gas station 🙂
Published: January 2024
Enjoying reading some of other articles including: Elevating your well-being with THC Drinks and Can you take Hemp D9 drinks on a plane
