STEVENS POINT, Wis. (WSAW) – As more and more energy drinks line the shelves, so do the teenagers who flock to them. However, before your child takes it to the checkout, you might want to check if those colorful cans and bottles are actually a THC-infused drink.
While marijuana is illegal in Wisconsin, CBD drinks are legal in the Badger State.
According to the 2018 Federal Farm Bill, hemp may be removed from fields all across the United States. Hemp is cannabis with less than 0.3 percent THC. But from there, that’s when there’s a gray area. One that doesn’t limit how much THC goes into the beverage.
“When people are going and growing these products, they’re tested coming off the field. But that doesn’t include the wide variety of products that have become available from those leaf products coming off the field, but also the synthesized form,” Melissa Moore, Certified Prevention Specialist of M3 Consulting, said.
Moore has 20-plus years of experience in public health and prevention. She says while these beverages can only have that limited amount of THC, it doesn’t mean more can’t be, or isn’t, added after.
“With the amount of processing that these products go through, whether they’re synthesized or it’s hemp that’s coming directly off the field, we never actually know exactly how much of that THC is going to be in it. So, as a person that may be looking at using them, they just have to know what those risks are,” Moore explained.
One company in Stevens Point is still experimenting with the amount of THC that ends up in their recipe.
“My first recipe that I have is a mango papaya and it’s a 10 milligram THC for a 12-ounce can,” Bloom Brothers Owner and Manager Jeremy Erickson said.
Erickson has owned Bloom Brothers since 2019, but has only been crafting these drinks since late last year. He and Moore both say throughout Dry January, they saw many businesses use it as a tactic to buy their product.
“I did notice a number of places running that as part of their dry January specials,” Erickson said. “More and more displays popping up, especially around the time of Dry January, and these companies are promoting these products as a great alternative to alcohol with less health consequences. But the reality is we don’t know the short-term effects,” Moore added.
Moore says we don’t know how these drinks are going to impact us individually. If you do try them, both Moore and Erickson advise taking them at home and starting slow. That way you stay safe and comfortable.
Copyright 2025 WSAW. All rights reserved.
As more and more energy drinks line the shelves, so do the teenagers who flock to them. But before your child takes it to the checkout, you might want to check if those colorful cans and bottles are actually a THC infused drink. Read More
