Why more and more companies are turning to cannabis drinks

Now that people are officially smoking more cannabis than tobacco, it’s time for companies to try to make a profit from cannabis-based beverages. Weed-infused drinks don’t have much success, mainly because THC is difficult to represent in liquid form, but also because the drinks tend to taste like weed.

Now there are a multitude of brands hoping to change things by creating THC-infused beverages and offering a new and more accessible way to get high. However, these products are still in their infancy.

CNBC reports that the market is slowly becoming crowded, with various companies trying to be the first to crack the formula and deliver the first successful and mainstream THC beverage. “Consumer choice hasn’t been as great in the past, but now we’ve seen dozens of companies getting involved in the cannabis beverage space,” said Amanda Reiman, VP of public policy research at cannabis analytics firm New Frontier Data.

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Some of the largest beverage companies in America are involved in cannabis beverages; Pabst Blue Ribbon, Anheuser-Busch, Constellation Brands, Lagunitas Brewing Company, and Ceria are some of the biggest names on the list. PBR sells non-alcoholic cannabis drinks with 10 mg THC. The drinks come in pineapple, mango, strawberry and lemon flavors and, as cannabis remains illegal at the federal level, will be sold online or in pharmacies in legal states.

While cannabis beverages have been addressed in the past, some experts are calling this moment unique and the right time for the beverage’s breakthrough. “There have been several false starts to anoint beverages as the next big thing,” said Travis Tharp, CEO of Keef Brands. “But I think we’ve gotten to a point where we’re showing that year-on-year growth is something substantial.”

RELATED: Wine or Weed? Experts discuss the future of cannabis-infused beverages

As with new cannabis inventions, the lack of research is a problem, resulting in a tedious process that can take years to resolve. However, as the plant becomes more popular, people will likely try new forms of cannabis, even if they are unaware of the possible side effects.