The Charter of the French language and its regulations govern the consultation of English-language content.
The Charter of the French language and its regulations govern the consultation of English-language content.
By SQDC.ca | Published on July 29th, 2021
Cannabis beverages have been available for purchase at the SQDC since January 1st, 2020. Even though this product category only represents a fraction of the products sold in-store and online, it does raise many questions.
To help you better understand the characteristics of cannabis beverages, we have the answers to the eight most frequently asked questions about these products.
These are beverages infused with cannabis extracts. They therefore include different levels of THC or CBD, or sometimes a combination of the two. They can also include other minor cannabinoids. There are different types of cannabis beverages available for purchase: canned or bottled ready-to-drinks, or tea packets for infusion by the consumer.
Preparing cannabis beverages is quite complex. First off, cannabis extracts do not dissolve in water. To get a homogenous blend, producers need to use various processes to get different types of extracts from the plant—the crude extract, the distillate, and the isolate.
Using emulsifiers that help the cannabis extract blend into water, these are then incorporated to sparkling or still water in order to create the drink in question. Once this step is complete, the mixture is bottled and ready for consumption.
Cannabis tea is made using a similar process: a cannabis emulsion is made and infused into a mixture of leaves, which is then divided into tea bags. The beverage is then ready to be prepared just like any other tea.
The first drinks to find themselves on the black market were oily in texture and tasted rather bitter. In recent years, significant efforts in research and development were made by key industry players to improve the product.
This resulted in a rather varied range of flavors and different forms of cannabis beverages: iced tea, flavored water, sparkling water, etc.
It goes without saying that cannabis beverages should be kept out of the reach of children and pets. Once safely out of their reach, cannabis beverages can keep several weeks in a cool place.
It depends! Cannabis beverages can contain THC or CBD, or a combination of the two, and the concentration is presented in milligrams. It should also be noted that cannabis beverages can contain a maximum of 5 mg of THC per unit.
To know the product’s content and its concentration, refer to the information on the product sheet available in-store. You can also visit our website where the information is available on each product page.
It’s unanimous: experts strongly advise against consuming or mixing alcohol with cannabis beverages (or any other cannabis product, for that matter).
When alcohol is consumed at the same time as cannabis, their depressive effects are multiplied and the effects on your faculties are unpredictable. This is true even for experienced users.
In addition to alcohol, it is also not recommended to consume cannabis beverages with any other type of marijuana, be it oil, dried plants, capsules, or others.
As a smoke-free option, cannabis beverages can be preferred to inhalation.
Unlike other consumption methods, such as capsules for instance, it’s easier to control how much is ingested with cannabis beverages. Nevertheless, vigilance is key: even if the dosage is easier to control, the risks of overconsumption are still very present.
Like all other ingestible cannabis products, absorption is slower than with inhaled products. The cannabinoids must first be absorbed by the digestive track before reaching the bloodstream.
That’s why the effects are only perceptible thirty minutes to an hour, if not more, after consumption. The effects can last up to eight hours. Also keep in mind that these times are just approximations and may vary from one person to another. You should always be cautious under all circumstances.
In accordance with the Act1, the SQDC is required to limit the amount of dried plants to 30 grams per order; the same applies to beverages. The equivalent number of grams for each beverage can be seen on the product description sheet. Health Canada defines the dried cannabis equivalency for all product categories, including beverages. The beverage equivalency was revised in December 2022 to align it with other categories, now allowing the possession of 48 cans each containing 355 ml.
Since being legalized in Canada, cannabis beverages have slowly made their way into cannabis users’ habits. Despite a growing interest in these drinks, this product category should be consumed with caution.
One last thing, because we can’t say this enough: no matter what type of consumer you are, remember to always start with small doses and to never take the wheel after consuming cannabis.
Have more questions? Feel free to contact one of our in-store advisors.
1 (PDF) Loi constituant la Société québécoise du cannabis, édictant la Loi encadrant le cannabis et modifiant diverses dispositions en matière de sécurité routière | Gouvernement du Québec
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