In recent years, we’ve all seen the canna-biz boom, with manufacturers coming up with new ways to invigorate your health and life with the ever-giving power of the cannabis plant. Cannabis beverages are among these new innovations, and if you haven’t tried them, you’re missing out!

No more hiding your cannabis use, or reeking of herbs, or having to charge your vape pen to enjoy your cannabis. Nowadays, you can drink your cannabis slowly and casually, just as you would an alcoholic beverage.

The industry has been perfecting the cannabis drink, and the effects are mild and easygoing. These canna-drinks also have a faster uptake than traditional cannabis edibles since the absorption can occur in the mouth and in the stomach, so there’s no more waiting for hours to see if you took too much. Cannabis beverages are low-dose, low-calorie, and are offered hot, cold, carbonated and non-carbonated.

Infused drinks have so many more benefits than smoking, vaping, or eating edibles. On top of providing a more social experience than smoking or vaping (a huge plus, in our opinion), marijuana drinks still offer consumers all the amazing benefits of traditional cannabis use. In general, drinking weed is far healthier than smoking—a main reason why cannabis beverages are taking center stage right now. With infused drinks, you can stay away from disease-forming, inflammation-boosting poison like alcohol while still enjoying a mood boost, stress relief, pain relief, reduced inflammation, improved sleep and easier relaxation.

A cannabis drink is not the same as an alcoholic cocktail, and it won’t give you the same effects either. Cannabis edibles usually contain between 5mg and 10mg of THC, the psychoactive component of cannabis. A lot of canna-drink companies also combine CBD and lower doses of THC (like 1mg and 5mg per serving) to form a more balanced and relaxing experience.

THC drinks are water-soluble, meaning the effects kick in much faster, but they don’t last as long as fat-soluble edibles like brownies or gummies. Drinking your THC allows for a milder effect that also dissipates faster than when you eat an edible. Some people equate the feeling of drinking a marijuana drink to that of a light beer or glass of wine—delivering a buzz but doesn’t last too long, so you can control your experience or just keep it casual.

If you are considering a non-alcoholic THC aperitif or cocktail, let us tell you–these cocktails hit easy. They also hit quickly, usually within about 15 minutes. This is similar to the onset time of an alcoholic cocktail, but canna-drinks don’t make you wild the way booze does. It’s a more subtle, introspective kind of feeling, and then you’re back to normal in about 90 minutes. If you’ve been traumatized by an edible that hit you too hard too late, this may be just your ticket. Cannabis drinks may not be a replacement for cannabis edibles, but many people are choosing to enjoy their heavier-dosed edibles in the privacy of their own homes or when discretion isn’t a concern.

You can find a wide variety of marijuana drinks on the market today, but the best weed drink types are CBD-infused drinks, THC-infused drinks, and infused cannabinoids with melatonin drinks. THC seltzers seem to be the most popular—as many mega-corps are creating their own THC version of them in legal markets. But weed drinks are simply drinks infused with cannabis, which can be THC, CBD, or a mix of cannabinoids. These drinks can be water, seltzers, sodas, or even powder blends to mix into any beverage of your choice.

CBD infused drinks are relaxing without any psychoactive effects, which can be helpful for sore muscles and wound-up anxiety. The melatonin and cannabinoid drinks like Zen Cannabis’ NiteNite drink are a perfect way to wind down as you get ready for restful sleep.

The differences between alcoholic drinks and cannabis drinks are huge but a welcome substitution in our new cannabis-friendly world.