Cannabis Beverages

Hemp-derived THC beverages are hot! And why not? They can healthier than alcohol, and they are much better than they used to be.

What is really nice about these beverages, currently federally legal, is that they are available in all sorts of places, unlike the beverages sold by state-regulated cannabis companies. Total Wine is a national retailer that carries a bunch of different brands, and, here in Texas, one of my favorite liquor stores, Spec's, does too. We even have some good restaurants here in Houston that carry them.

I am all for hemp-derived cannabis beverages, though they are not all so great. The problems can be lack of regulation that leads to very high dosing or to unhealthy additives, too much sugar, and too many other things.

At New Cannabis Ventures, I did add a new section to the list of Cannabis Companies:

While I am not necessarily endorsing these products, I believe that they do meet a higher standard. I have not yet added a retailer section for hemp-based products, though I have found some that do stand out.

There are a lot of cannabis products that stand out, and beverages can be one. The largest of the publicly-traded MSOs are each developing hemp-based THC beverages:

• Curaleaf (CURLF): Has opened a store in Florida to sell its hemp-based THC drinks

• Green Thumb Industries (GTBIF): Has invested in Agrify (AGFY), which exited its original business and bought a company to make beverages with THC derived from hemp

• Trulieve (TCNNF): Is selling its own beverages online or through retailers

I wrote about this in a recent newsletter at New Cannabis Ventures, and I noted that I am not impressed by any of these efforts, though I do like the idea.

THC is not the only cannabinoid, but it is the one that people seem to want the most. Cannabis beverages can deliver more than THC, but delivering THC will really boost the market.