THC seltzers rise in popularity: What to know about the drinks
Seltzer selections are growing in local grocery stores, gas stations, and liquor stores to include a new iteration, THC-infused seltzers.
THC-infused beverages, sometimes referred to as "gardening drinks" on social media, are catching the eyes of consumers looking for alternatives to alcoholic beverages.
The THC beverage industry is expected to be a $4 billion industry by 2028, according to Euromonitor International, a London-based market research company.
Here is what to know about the increasingly popular drinks.
What are THC seltzers?
THC, or delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, is a psychoactive compound found in marijuana, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.
THC seltzers are made by infusing THC into carbonated drinks, creating a new subcategory of seltzers and a new means of cannabis consumption.
The drinks come with different percentages of THC per serving.
Are there regulations surrounding THC seltzers?
Marijuana comes from the Cannabis sativa plant which contains many chemical compounds known as cannabinoids. The most well-known cannabinoid is THC, recognized for causing feelings of euphoria or intoxication. Cannabis plants with less than 0.3% THC are classified as hemp, while those with higher levels of THC - the compound responsible for marijuana’s psychoactive effects - are considered marijuana.
In 2018, President Donald Trump signed the 2018 farm bill into law, which legalized industrial hemp.
Under the law, products containing cannabis byproducts, such as cannabanoid oil, must be below 0.3 percent THC. The law also moved the regulation and testing of industrial hemp to states.
Currently, only 18 states have regulations on hemp, many of which are similar to regulations on alcohol, according to Diana Eberlein, chair of the Coalition of Adult Beverage Alternatives, an advocacy organization that includes hemp beverage manufacturers, partners and alcohol retailers and distributors.
Eberlein told "Good Morning America" the coalition is working to put regulations in place across more states.
Are there safety concerns with THC seltzers?
Consuming THC produces a psychoactive effect, according to the DEA.
THC seltzers are sold in a wide range of potencies -- ranging from 2.5 MG to 100 MG -- that can affect different people in different ways, according to Staci Gruber, Ph.D., director of the Cognitive and Clinical Neuroimaging Core and the Marijuana Investigations for Neuroscientific Discovery program at McLean Hospital in Massachusetts.
In states where there are no regulations, THC seltzers may be found on store shelves next to non-THC seltzer drinks and energy drinks.
Gruber, also an associate professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, noted that side effects of drinking THC seltzers may include increased heart rate, nausea and feelings of anxiousness and paranoia.
According to the DEA, side effects of THC also include feelings of relaxation and disinhibition, as well as increased appetite, sedation, increased sociability, difficulty in thinking and problem-solving, hallucinations, impaired judgment, reduced coordination and distorted perception.
Experts advise that if you are going to consume THC seltzers, start with a low dose and take it slow.
