Cannabis drinks are surging in popularity | The Excerpt
USAToday
Wed, Mar 5
Key Points
- A new beverage called the cannabis cocktail, containing CBD and sometimes THC, is gaining popularity as a hangover-free alternative to alcohol.
- Staci Gruber, a specialist in marijuana research, discusses the benefits and drawbacks of cannabis cocktails on a podcast episode.
- The drinks are marketed as providing a buzz without the negative effects of alcohol, but questions remain about their potential as alcohol replacements.
- The episode explores the implications of these new drinks and their impact on the beverage industry.
On a special episode (first released on March 5, 2025) of The Excerpt podcast:
A new beverage has been showing up in bars and on store shelves: the cannabis cocktail, a hemp-derived drink that contains CBD and oftentimes THC as well. They’re marketed as providing a buzz without the downside of a hangover. But are there drawbacks? And could these drinks ever replace alcohol? Staci Gruber, director of marijuana investigations for the Neuroscientific Discovery program at McLean Hospital and associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School joins The Excerpt to answer these and other questions about this new trend.