Seltzer selections are growing in local grocery stores, gas stations, and liquor stores to include a new iteration, THC-infused seltzers.
THC-infused beverages, sometimes referred to as “gardening drinks” on social media, are catching the eyes of consumers looking for alternatives to alcoholic beverages.
The THC beverage industry is expected to be a $4 billion industry by 2028, according to Euromonitor International, a London-based market research company.
THC, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, is a psychoactive compound found in marijuana, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
THC seltzers are made by infusing THC into carbonated drinks, creating a new subcategory of seltzers and a new means of cannabis consumption.
The drinks come with different percentages of THC per serving.
Marijuana comes from the Cannabis sativa plant which contains many chemical compounds known as cannabinoids. The most well-known cannabinoid is THC, recognized for causing feelings of euphoria or intoxication. Cannabis plants with less than 0.3% THC are classified as hemp, while those with higher levels of THC — the compound responsible for marijuana’s psychoactive effects — are considered marijuana.
THC seltzers are sold in a wide range of potencies — ranging from 2.5 MG to 100 MG — that can affect different people in different ways, according to Staci Gruber, Ph.D., director of the Cognitive and Clinical Neuroimaging Core and the Marijuana Investigations for Neuroscientific Discovery program at McLean Hospital in Massachusetts.
According to the DEA, side effects of THC include feelings of relaxation and disinhibition, as well as increased appetite, sedation, increased sociability, difficulty in thinking and problem-solving, hallucinations, impaired judgment, reduced coordination and distorted perception.
Experts advise that if you are going to consume THC seltzers, start with a low dose and take it slow.