Drugged Drinks

Just as the FDA cracks down on drinks like the highly caffeinated, alcoholic beverage Four Loko and a new “adult” version of bottled chocolate milk, a questionable new product is poised to hit the market.

Canna Cola is a marijuana soda that is slated to launch in Colorado in February. The Soquel, Calif.-based company is aiming for a different audience than the other pot products on the market.

"You look at all the marijuana products out there, and they are so mom-and-pop, hippie-dippy and rinky-dink," product designer Clay Butler told the Santa Cruz <I>Sentinel</I>. Butler says he’s never used marijuana or smoked a cigarette, but is a "firm believer that adults have an inalienable right to think, eat, smoke, drink, ingest, decorate, dress any way they choose.”

Canna Cola

Canna Cola will be joined by the Dr Pepper–like Doc Weed, a lemon-lime flavored Sour Diesel, and grape and orange flavored varieties. The beverage’s "12 mind blowing ounces" will run roughly $10 to $15 per bottle. The active ingredient is 35 to 65 milligrams of THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the main psychoactive ingredient in cannabis. That said, Canna Cola and the other flavors contain relatively low levels of the drug compared to other pot-laced products. In other words, for those looking for a quick, cheap high, it won’t be the first choice.

So where’s the market for this and other products like it?

Canna Cola's makers plan to sell it to medical-marijuana dispensaries in Colorado, and they hope to launch it in California by the spring. The looming "Brownie Law" could put a damper on the new product’s longevity, though. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein and passed in the Senate last year, would increase penalties for makers of products that combine marijuana with "a candy product" or anyone who markets such products to minors. Medical marijuana is currently legal in 15 states, but specific regulations vary within those states. Marijuana for recreational purposes is still illegal under federal law.

Alcoholic drinks like Adult Chocolate Milk (touted as “youth at 40-proof”) and Four Loko are also under fire from legislators who worry about their appeal to a younger audience. Some college campuses are already banning these beverages.

Marijuana Addiction

If you or someone you love is battling a marijuana addiction, call The Canyon at our toll-free number. Someone is there to take your call 24 hours a day and answer any questions you have about treatment, financing or insurance.