From Wine Nights to THC Seltzers: Why More Women Are Making the Switch

305. From Wine Nights to THC Seltzers: Why More Women Are Making the Switch

[00:00:05] Anita Loomba: The best way for you to gauge it for yourself is try like, taste them. The reaction that I usually get from people who’ve tried cycling frog products for the first time is like, wait, this actually tastes good. Why didn’t anybody tell me about this sooner?

[00:00:24] Ellen Scanlon: Welcome to How To Do The Pot, the award-winning podcast, helping you feel confident with cannabis. I’m your host, Ellen Scanlan.

[00:00:39] You just heard from Anita Lumumba, the senior marketing Director at Cannabis Beverage Company, cycling Frog. All year on the show, we’ve been talking about alcohol and cannabis. I have been having many conversations with people who are reconsidering their relationship with alcohol. I think the cultural conversation around alcohol really started to [00:01:00] shift this January.

[00:01:01] After the then Surgeon General issued an advisory. He shared data that shows alcohol can increase the risk of seven types of cancer, including breast cancer. He suggested adding new warning labels to alcohol products. I have been very curious about whether that would have an impact on people’s behavior.

[00:01:20] And just a few weeks ago, a new Gallup poll found that the percentage of Americans that say they drink alcohol is at the lowest level. In nearly 90 years, women’s drinking has dropped by 11 points. In just the past year, more women than ever are choosing new rituals, including cannabis. I know sometimes it can feel like you’re the only one changing your drinking habits, especially if friends or family aren’t making those same changes.

[00:01:50] But you are definitely not alone. Today’s episode is all about helping you feel confident making the switch from alcohol to cannabis drinks, [00:02:00] because as simple as that swap may seem, the effects of THC drinks are different than alcohol. In today’s episode, we’re talking about what to know if you or someone you love is trying one for the first time.

[00:02:14] Anita and I talk about the thrill of seeing THC drinks available at liquor stores right next to the White Claw, and Anita is gonna share something very special from Cycling Frog. They are offering a free trial just for our listeners. Stay tuned for how to get it. We just wrapped up our summer movie night series with Sophia Roski.

[00:02:36] I hope you liked it. Sophia offered some great hosting tips and in my latest Substack post I shared her delicious recipe for stone fruit and sesame cobbler. You can check out my substack for the recipe. Right now my substack is free to read. And if you’d like to support our work, there’s a paid option two for just $6 a month.

[00:02:57] You can find it on [00:03:00] substack@dothepot.com or linked in the show notes. Thank you for your support.

[00:03:14] I wanted to hear about your experiences buying THC drinks outside of dispensaries, and also maybe some of the stories that you’ve heard from other people if you haven’t been able to get to all of the different locations where it’s available now. 

[00:03:29] Anita Loomba: The funny thing there is like I’m in Washington where this is still not allowed, which is so unfortunate because cannabis is legal here, but we don’t have a lot of opportunities to buy TAC seltzers in restaurants and bars.

[00:03:43] So I’m kind of aching for that. I’d say most recently when I went to Portland, because Portland has opened the gates and. It is incredible because I was able to see our seltzers in a store, which was awesome. And it was, it was amazing. Just like seeing our products [00:04:00] lined up in a liquor store, kind of lined up with.

[00:04:03] All the other beverages. It’s not in some locked up case. It just feels like an everyday product. And there’s not a lot of words that can describe it either. For me, because it’s a lot of joy, just be also because like I work on the brand and so it’s like seeing our products on the shelf. It’s exciting.

[00:04:21] And then I’d say that moment for me really set everything about like the potential of the industry and the growth. And I’m still optimistic that ideally we go in the direction where that experience can be felt by more people across many states. 

[00:04:37] Ellen Scanlon: I’m in Connecticut right now visiting my family and I went to a liquor store and I had a conversation with the people at the liquor store and I bought some, and all I needed to show them was my 21-year-old id.

[00:04:51] I kind of went in a little bit, like trying to pretend I didn’t know as much as I did, but by the end I was like, I host a podcast, you should listen, and they were super nice. [00:05:00] 

[00:05:00] Anita Loomba: Did 

[00:05:00] Ellen Scanlon: they know you were a person for the brand? 

[00:05:03] Anita Loomba: I went in sort of like, yeah, I see you have THC drinks. What are your thoughts on that?

[00:05:08] We got into a great conversation about it. That person actually recommended cycling frog, and then, so that just led to further talk on like how the drinks work, how it compares to like other products, and they were very excited about it. So I was trying not to lead in that. Like I, I work for cycling frog ’cause I, I.

[00:05:28] Honestly when and not with that purpose, so tried to stay a little neutral to get some understanding there. 

[00:05:36] Ellen Scanlon: The first time that I bought legal weed in a dispensary was in Colorado, way back, like within the first year or two that Colorado was legal, and I remember. Feeling so distinctly, like everyone who worked in that dispensary was gonna kill it.

[00:05:50] They were so good. They were so passionate. They knew everything. They were, customer service was amazing and, and that was the experience that I had in this liquor store. They were [00:06:00] so passionate and so excited, and I was asking questions like, who is buying these? And this guy was like. Everyone. He’s like, husbands come in, they buy for wives.

[00:06:10] Wives come in, they buy for husbands. Most people seem to start around a dry January or sort of like a dry moment with alcohol trying it. Curious. And then he was so funny, he said they buy a four pack and then they come back in and buy like a 12, a 16. Like they love ’em. Yeah. 

[00:06:29] Anita Loomba: Yeah, I had actually someone on my team tell me recently that she’s in our Portland office and she went into a location just to like see, ’cause Oregon is a place where you can find them and restaurants too.

[00:06:40] But she was in a store and she saw one person buy a can of every single one of the seltzers because that person’s ultimate goal was to try each one and see which one they liked. And she was like, I was blown away. And I’m like, I’m blown away hearing this. That’s kind of cool. They wanna test them all out.

[00:06:57] They’re curious. That’s great, 

[00:06:59] Ellen Scanlon: and it’s [00:07:00] such a moment for discovery. It’s, it’s one of the reasons I wanted to talk to you about this. It’s one of the reasons I’m starting to ask our listeners and friends, because I think that these are, these are binary moments. There’s like a before and an after, and depending on your experience in the store, certainly that matters.

[00:07:19] When you think about someone who’s never tried a THC drink before, how do you describe the experience? 

[00:07:26] Anita Loomba: A lot of what I hear is the perception of like, oh, well, I’ve tried. THC beverages before they just taste like weed water, and it’s like, no. The best way for you to gauge it for yourself is try taste ’em.

[00:07:40] The reaction that I usually get from people who’ve tried cycling frog products for the first time is like, wait, this actually tastes good. Like, why didn’t anybody tell me about this sooner? They take it home, they try it, and they come back and they’re like, I didn’t have a hangover. I felt amazing. The next day I felt [00:08:00] so relaxed.

[00:08:00] I slept really well, like all these things, and on top of that, it didn’t taste earthy. Medicinal and I, I love like the fruity flavors and how refreshing it was. It was juice that happened to make me high. 

[00:08:14] Ellen Scanlon: I think the cycling frog flavors are so delicious. I really love them. Black current, I think is my favorite.

[00:08:21] I started out with grapefruit, but I, I switched back and forth the flavor part of it. For me, I’m so convinced, like I’ve tasted so many delicious THC drinks now, that like the idea that they wouldn’t taste good isn’t even in my head now. I feel like I’ve moved on to. Is it gonna match where I’m going, what I’m doing?

[00:08:40] How am I gonna feel? How do I think about the dosage that works best for me? And I’m a low dose consumer on everything, and so I usually start with a half a can. I put some sparkling water in it? I enjoy it. And how do you talk to first time cycling frog customers about the effects [00:09:00] 

[00:09:00] Anita Loomba: if you’re trialing it for the first time?

[00:09:02] Part of the experimentation is to just take it slow, see how you feel. I mean, it’s like often what we would hear with edibles, just generally in the cannabis market is like, if, if you don’t feel anything, don’t take more right away because everybody’s body’s different. And the same thing sort of applies here.

[00:09:19] Yes. A lot of brands will talk about, like we, there’s nano ification, so it hits faster. Ultimately, everybody’s body is different and you need to be aware of that. And so start slow. Take your time, don’t rush into it and see how you feel with the experience. And yes, as you continue to drink more, perhaps you know your body will respond to that and your tolerance will get higher.

[00:09:44] So then you just kind of. Read your body, understand how it’s reacting to it, and adjust your dosage based off of that. We often will end up talking like one five milligram drink is like the equivalent of a cocktail, but the, the way it affects you will [00:10:00] be different because you know alcohol will give you this buzz that then could last a while, and then the next day you have that hangover.

[00:10:07] Well, with our drinks, yes, you’ll have a buzz that may kick in 45 minutes to potentially an hour. That buzz will last a while, but you will not have that hangover the next day. 

[00:10:19] Ellen Scanlon: And do you give any tips about empty stomach, full stomach eating? Because with edibles, the counterintuitive thing I always say to people is if you eat, it’ll kick in faster and longer.

[00:10:30] Which, you know, people who are used to alcohol sort of can’t believe that. And what are the anecdotal stories around beverages? 

[00:10:38] Anita Loomba: Yes, when you’re eating, it will impact the buzz that you’re feeling quite a bit, and so pair it with the food that you’re eating slowly, so you’re not like finishing up an entire can with a meal.

[00:10:50] It might be that you’ve gone through half a can and you’ve finished a meal and you’re really starting to feel the buzz. Then, you know, slow down a little bit. You don’t need to finish that can right then [00:11:00] because you are in it at that moment. So it’s really just like, take it slow and be in tune with how you’re feeling with your body, which you will be if you, or if you’re in that buzz.

[00:11:10] So, 

[00:11:12] Ellen Scanlon: and how long do you generally say that the effects last? 

[00:11:16] Anita Loomba: It varies. Very dependent on, you know, your body and how your tolerance is. But typically what we’ve seen with feedback from customers, it’s like two to four, maybe five hours. 

[00:11:29] Ellen Scanlon: Yeah, that’s interesting. I mean, I feel like my experience is generally, I feel it within like maybe 15, 20 minutes, and I’d say that it’s probably like a two to three hour thing, so not dissimilar to alcohol if I’m.

[00:11:44] Feeling it quickly. Maybe I’ll have some water kind of wait. I know the feeling that I want, which is like shoulders drop, a little smile. Maybe my mood is a little bit better. Um, and I kind of wanna stay there. And I [00:12:00] think with the drinks. You have that opportunity in a way that maybe you don’t With edibles.

[00:12:04] Yeah. Or even with smoking, especially with the higher potency joints that are out there now. So it allows you to, to really kind of customize mm-hmm. The way that you wanna feel if you’re willing to, to experiment with it. I am such a nerd about this because I’m, I’m always trying to sort of analyze my own experience as I’m having it.

[00:12:25] Why don’t you tell us a little bit about the trial offer that you have for our listeners? 

[00:12:29] Anita Loomba: Yeah, our free Seltzer offers really about lowering that barrier for new people. But anyone that wants to try THC drinks, especially for people who are sober curious or looking for something different, but you know, don’t wanna gamble on.

[00:12:44] 20 bucks on a mystery six pack can a flavor they’ve never tried. You know, we want women, people, everyone to feel empowered to explore cannabis in a way that feels social, safe and honestly kind of fun. The way we, I sort of [00:13:00] approach this is like, it’s your vibe, your pace with a side of fizz. Essentially you can try any one of our core flavors, which we have three of wild cherry, ruby, grapefruit, and black current for free.

[00:13:12] All you have to do is pay for the $2 shipping per can. It’s available in most states, and it’s a great way to sample what our seltzers would taste like. That’s the gist of our free seltzer offer here at Cycling Frog. 

[00:13:27] Ellen Scanlon: I’m so excited that you all are doing this and I think our listeners are gonna love it.

[00:13:32] ’cause I do think that, you know, ordering anything that you’ve never tried before and then, you know, I always wanna get the free shipping, so I’m like, all right, I need to get to this certain spot and I just don’t wanna make a mistake. And so this really lowers the stakes and lets people try and see what they think.

[00:13:49] And the flavors are delicious. What’s your favorite flavor? 

[00:13:52] Anita Loomba: Ooh. I think my favorite flavor, I’m tied between black current and Ruby grapefruit right now. Um, and I, I will say [00:14:00] we release limited time flavors throughout the year, and most recently this year. Italian Plum was probably my favorite besides the core products.

[00:14:09] The whole idea of creating mocktails with THC drinks, it’s becoming more and more popular. A recipe that our customers love is adding like a little bit of coke to your wild cherry, THC seltzer. What I’ve been doing in the summer is like making a fun slushie, blending it with some ice, and drinking that like it’s a margarita.

[00:14:30] So yeah, it’s very basic, but I’d say that those are ways that I have been trying to experiment with the flavors at home. 

[00:14:38] Ellen Scanlon: Yeah, and it’s familiar, you know, I mean, that is just what the wonderful thing about beverages, that we all drink beverages all the time. We’re all used to having them. And if you can find a flavor that you love and a brand that you feel comfortable with and trust the dosage, it can be a very similar experience to alcohol.[00:15:00] 

[00:15:00] I am so excited that Cycling Frog is giving you a free drink. If you haven’t tried one yet, this is the perfect opportunity. Remember, this free THC Seltzer offer is exclusively for how to do the pot listeners. And this is the only link where you can get it. Pick your flavor. Black Current Ruby Grapefruit or Wild Cherry, I think my favorite is Black Current and Cycling Frog will send it to you for free.

[00:15:26] You just cover the $2 in shipping. I’ll add the link in the show notes, and thank you for supporting the brands that support our show. Next week we’re back with more stories about cannabis and exercise, how women are easing their pain, finding motivation, and really enjoying movement. Again, stay tuned.

[00:15:51] For lots more information and past episodes, visit do the pot.com, and that’s also where you can sign up for my substack newsletter. If you [00:16:00] like how to do the pot, please rate and review us on the podcast platform that you use for listening. It really helps more people find the show. Thank you to our producer Nick Patri.

[00:16:12] I’m Ellen Scanlan, and stay tuned for more of how to Do the Pot.