Anyone who smokes weed in the morning knows it goes even better with a hot cup of Joe.
That may be why an entrepreneur in Washington State has combined the two in a caffeinated, THC-infused beverage known, appropriately enough, as “Legal.” The cold-brewed coffee drink should hit shelves as soon as the state’s first recreational pot shops open this summer, said creator Adam Stites.
“It’s an alert, creative high,” Stites said of Legal, which he calls “the wake and bake drink.”
Stites plans to sell his product through the company he founded, Mirth Provisions, which has also developed sparkling juices – cherry, pomegranate, and lemon ginger – infused with marijuana extract.
“Drinking this coffee is like riding a cool avalanche of pure deliciousness down a tall mountain and landing in an ocean of good feelings,” the company’s Web site says in a hearty effort to sell the product. “You’ll swim off into a day of work or play filled to the brim with pure joy.”
Legal is packed with caffeine, but it’s relatively light on THC, about 20 milligrams per bottle, Stites said. That’s enough to give users a high similar to “a nice IPA or glass of wine,” he said.
“We don’t want to pack so much THC into every one of our drinks that it’s unpleasant,” Stites said, “especially for people that are just getting into marijuana.”
Each bottle, 11.5 ounces worth, will sell for between $9 and $11, he said, considerably more expensive than your average 20-ounce venti Latte from Starbucks.
Stites said he’s preparing for an inspection by Washington State Department of Agriculture on June 12. He expects to have Legal ready for sale by early July.
Washington voters legalized recreational marijuana in November 2012, as did voters in Colorado. The first retail pot shops opened in Colorado in January, and Washington’s first stores are set to open in July.
Alaska and Oregon both could vote to legalize this November, and other states could follow suit in coming years. That could create an enormous market for drinks such as Legal, assuming they can win regulatory approval.
