Cannabis Infused Beverages: A hit or miss for Canada?

When you look at the American cannabis market, you’ll see a vastly different picture depending on which state you’re in. How they have handled the legalization of cannabis products at a state level is hugely different from the current Canadian cannabis legalization program.

Canada has taken a slow and regulated approach to the rollout of cannabis products across the country, governing what can be sold, how potent it can be, and who can sell it. While cannabis flower was fast to roll out, despite some stock issues for the first month, cannabis edibles and cannabis infused drinks were a lot slower to start hitting the shelves.

Among edibles and other new innovative cannabis products, we're also starting to see several different online delivery options, which give customers the opportunity to shop weed deals online from the convenience of their own homes. 

Are cannabis-infused drinks, good for the Canadian cannabis industry, or bad?

There was a lot of hype surrounding the release of cannabis-infused drinks, which fizzled faster than a flat can of pop. Inside all carbonated cans is a thin polymer liner, which protects the ingredients and liquid inside the can from reacting with the extremely thin aluminum can.

The problem that cannabis manufacturers encountered almost immediately was that the cannabinoids interacted with polymer liner. Within weeks of being canned, the potency of the drinks was almost 50% less than advertised.

We saw immediately following the legalization of cannabis-infused drinks was dispensaries full of shiny new fridges, utterly empty of drinks. Manufacturers didn’t anticipate the problems they would face with the cannabinoid and can liner interaction.

Despite this problem, we’re starting to slowly see cannabis infused beverages hitting the shelves, but are they a good thing or a bad thing for the cannabis industry?

A significant part of the cannabis industry 

If there wasn’t a market for cannabis-infused drinks and edibles, then it’s highly likely that you wouldn’t see them on the shelves of your local dispensary. After all, companies don’t go out of their way to make products that their customers don’t want to buy.

Edibles are a significant part of the cannabis industry. It makes sense that cannabis-infused drinks are a reasonable step forward. We have chocolates, candy, fresh flower, concentrates, vape liquids, and now cannabis infused beverages.

Some people don’t enjoy smoking cannabis. Some people that want to enjoy cannabis would like other options, and cannabis-infused drinks and edibles help to fill the gap for those that don’t want to consume cannabis traditionally.

Innovation in the cannabis industry will continue to push forward

Regardless of whether cannabis-infused drinks are good or bad for the Canadian cannabis industry, innovation in the industry shows us that companies are still committed to growing the cannabis market, and that’s a good thing for everyone in Canada that enjoys cannabis. If you have been looking for cannabis online, or to shop nationwide mail order, then there are some choices available to choose from. Who knows, maybe you can try a cannabis infused drink?