Take a stroll past the drink freezers at the grocery store and gawk at the endless selection of wellness beverages.
One wellness beverage that has been gaining popularity is cannabis-infused.
Other retailers such as supermarkets, convenience stores, and smoke shops will sell strictly CBD-infused beverages, which are generally considered safe for consumption for all ages.
Crystal Romero, who works at Harvest HOC of North Mesa dispensary, says that cannabis-infused beverages account for about 1 to 2 percent of daily sales there.
“We just released these last week and they seem to be moving fairly well,” she says of a new product from Wynk, a THC-infused flavored seltzer.
The cannabis beverage brand specializes in the 8-ounce Social Tonic, which contains 2 mg of THC and 4 mg of CBD, and comes in a wide range of flavors, from lemon lavender to blood orange cardamom.
“It’s something more and more people are coming in asking for,” says Sarah Mahoney, store manager at The Hemp and CBD Co.
Edibles with a high concentration of THC can be highly toxic to kids, and as reported by the Phoenix New Times this year, edibles account for nearly half of all child poisoning cases related to pot.
Kealan Sullivan, a representative at Zen Leaf dispensary in Mesa says that although he sees little in terms of cannabis beverage sales, the store has a wide selection.
Whether it be seltzers, sodas, wines, or water, cannabis-infused beverages offer a number of different flavors, including sweet, sour, bitter, carbonated, non-carbonated, and beyond.
“They’re a refreshing drink, especially on spring break,” says Tempe resident and Arizona State student Penny Coté, who shops at Harvest HOC.