Why You Should Re-Introduce Yourself to Cannabis

If you haven’t been to a cannabis dispensary in a few years – or ever — you’re in for a shopping experience like none other. Gone are the days of walking into a shop and only being able to purchase cannabis flower. In today’s legal recreational or medicinal marketplace, there are a variety of options for the cannabis user or the canna-curious — from infused sparkling waters and teas, to chocolate bars and artisanal confections. Looking at all of these options, it’s hard to know where to start and what product might be the best fit for you. 

Some consumers might be wary of edibles because of a less than ideal experience they had eating a homemade brownie or two made with cannabis-infused butter at a college party – or because they’ve heard stories from their friend about “that one time so-and-so bought cookies over…” and it took their friend a day to recover.  

As more states legalize cannabis for recreational or medicinal use and the plant becomes mainstream and accepted by the consumer, the industry continues to mature. With that maturation comes a wider array of product offerings, including beverages and edibles, as well as strict regulations on how the products are produced and how much cannabis can be added to them. That makes this the perfect time to give infused products a try, or a second chance — and these are five reasons why.  

Reason #1: Looking for a palate-pleasing flavor profile? There are plenty of options! 

Since the Farm Bill passed in 2018 making hemp legal, many products featuring hemp-derived CBD and other minor cannabinoids have come to market. The result is that today’s consumers have a wide array of great-tasting products to choose from. While cannabinoids are, by nature, somewhat bitter and grassy, emulsion technology masks those sensory notes, which allows the other flavors to shine. 

If you love sparkling water, there are flavored and unflavored options – from Guava and Pomelo to Yuzu and Grapefruit. Many product developers are pairing flavors for a more unique, complex profile, such as marrying lime with basil or strawberry with lavender. Consumers are also seeing more infused products featuring cannabinoids and ingredients to boost immunity like vitamin C, turmeric, and ginger. The result are products that not only taste great but are also good for you.  

Reason #2: Food technology and product testing ensure consumer safety. 

The cannabis-infused foods industry is still relatively young but expanding rapidly, fueled by rising consumer interest in these products. As companies producing beverages or edibles have grown larger, many have hired food scientists and quality control managers to help refine and improve their processes and products. This has resulted in increasingly consistent, high-quality beverages and edibles that are safe and effective for both medical and recreational consumers. Having experienced food industry professionals on the staff of a company producing beverages or edibles is an important step in creating a robust food safety program and culture, leading to the high-quality products consumers expect. The more that companies prioritize safety and quality, the more the consumers will trust and remain loyal to the brand. 

When consumers are shopping for an infused product, it’s important that they can access the product’s Certificate of Analysis which indicates that the product has been tested at a third-party lab and evaluated for quality. The COA indicates the amount of cannabinoids such as CBD or THC in the product and has been tested for common contaminants such as pesticides. If a product does not have a COA attached to it, it’s time to find one that does!    

Reason #3: Today’s infused food products featuring water-soluble cannabinoids offer near-perfect dosing with more predictable onset times. 

Today’s consumers want to be sure that the products they are consuming are dosed accurately and that they will have a consistent, predictable experience when ingesting them. When possible, consumers should seek out products made with cannabinoids that have been made water-soluble through emulsion technology. This process blankets the small particles of cannabinoids and evenly disperses them throughout a product, which means that the first sip of an infused beverage will have the same amount of cannabinoids as the last.  Compared to a product made with an oil-based cannabis extract, the body can absorb water-soluble cannabinoids more quickly and more completely, given the way the digestive system processes water-based ingredients. This results in feeling the effects faster, usually between 10 – 20 minutes.

Reason #4: More products feature terpenes to compliment the cannabinoids and enhance the Entourage Effect.  

Terpenes are the flavor and scent compounds present in cannabis and many other plants. When terpenes are paired with cannabinoids, the two work synergistically to produce the Entourage Effect, meaning that they produce a better effect together than if they were taken alone. Beyond lending a pleasant bouquet, terpenes can also impact CBD’s efficacy, THC’s psychoactive effect and how much of the cannabinoid your body can utilize. A consumer new to infused products should look for products high in Beta-caryophyllene, Linalool and Limonene, and lower in Myrcene and Humelene. The more fully-articulated a product is, the more natural chemical safeguards exist to offset the less pleasant psychoactive effects of THC. 

Reason #5: Infused beverages are a great replacement for a cocktail or glass of wine.

As people focus more on their health and well-being in the wake of Covid, many consumers are more mindful about their alcohol consumption and are looking for alternatives for that second (or third) glass of wine or cocktail. A mocktail with an infused sparkling water as its base or a micro-dosed tonic will still provide the consumer with the experience they are looking for, with fewer calories, less sugar, and far fewer headaches the next day! 

Where to Start

If you’re thinking about reintroducing yourself to cannabis in the form of an infused product or trying it for the first time, look no further than the many great products that are powered by SōRSE. Our partners have created great-tasting products that are available online, in dispensaries, and in a variety of retail outlets. Just look for “Powered by SōRSE” on the label. If you are a product developer looking to enter the market in 2022 with an infused product, book a call with our team today!