Wake And Bake: 'Legal' Marijuana-Infused Coffee Delivers 20Mg Of THC In Bottle For 'Alert, Creative High'
Most of us start our day with a morning cup of Joe, but soon residents in the state of Washington will start their mornings with a cup of Mary Jane. At just 20 milligrams of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) — the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis — per 11.5-ounce bottle, Legal, the cold-brewed marijuana-infused coffee from Mirth Provisions is expected to hit the market as early as next month. The amount of THC in the coffee-weed is roughly the same amount as in half a joint, which product developer Adam Stites believes is just right even for those just getting into marijuana.
"We want the experience to be more similar to that if you had a nice IPA or glass of wine. We don't want to pack so much THC into every one of our drinks that it's unpleasant, especially for people that are just getting into marijuana," Stitles told My Northwest. The marijuana-infused drinks will come in plain form and also with cream and sugar. The product developer, who cleverly named his beverage line “Legal,” does not sugarcoat its intended effects.
"Drinking this coffee is like riding a cool avalanche of pure deliciousness down a tall mountain and landing in an ocean of good feelings. You’ll swim off into a day of work or play filled to the brim with pure joy,” reads the web description of the cream and sugar version. However, for those who want to feel like a cowboy in the morning, Legal recommends the cold brew, “the John Wayne of cold brews — strong and bold with a true cowboy’s swagger.” "It’s an alert, creative high," he told The Huffington Post.
Stites assures 20 milligrams of THC in his caffeinated beverage is more than enough to reach the desired effects of cannabis. “I'm 6ft 4in and 205 pounds, and 20mg is sufficient for me, especially when it's brewed with coffee,” he said to the Daily Mail. The marijuana-infused beverage currently contains two strains of it, which wasn’t a simple endeavor for the product developer.
Stites’s company has also developed sparkling cherry, lemon ginger, and pomegranate juices with the cannabis extract. These drinks contain 10 milligrams of THC, unlike their marijuana-coffee counterpart. The development of these beverages was not just about generating revenue on the pot rush, but about something a little more personal for Stites. “I wanted to be part of the history of my home state,” he said. “It's revolutionary and a great opportunity to establish some intellectual property in this state.”
The Legal drink has passed its final tests with the Washington State Liquor Control Board, which oversees marijuana sales, on May 16. This comes as good news to many marijuana businesses in Washington State, since retail sales have hit regulatory bumps due to state regulators taking months to craft new rules and grant retail licenses for the selling of marijuana for recreational use. The company has as scheduled inspection by the state’s department of agriculture for June 12.
"We can produce several hundred bottles per hour, so the question for us really is how quickly are these retail stores going to be open. But we're really excited,” Stites told Northwest.
The beverages are expected to retail between $9 and $11.