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Short for cannabidiol, a chemical found in the cannabis family of plants, CBD alone won’t get you high like that other compound, THC (tetrahydrocannabinol). But CBD is believed to be a panacea for anxiety and stress as well as an aid for treating everything from epilepsy to arthritis. What’s more, thanks to the passage of the 2018 Farm Bill, which decriminalized the cultivation of industrial hemp—a cannabis species with a negligible concentration of THC—hemp-derived CBD is now legal to sell across the country. (Marijuana-derived CBD products still may only be peddled at licensed dispensaries and must contain at least trace amounts of THC.) Years of experimentation by local edibles producers means there’s nowhere better to get a taste of the trend. Here, a few CBD treats worthy of your shelf space.
IPA, Meet CBD
Dad & Dude’s Breweria in Aurora was one of the first to combine Coloradans’ two passions—beer and weed (er, hemp)—when it debuted its CBD-enhanced George Washington’s Secret Stash IPA last summer. The English-inspired West Coast IPA boasts a “piney, dank aroma and flavor,” says co-founder Mason Hembree, and 4.20 milligrams (get it?) of CBD per pint. $7 per pint or $17 for a six-pack; breweria.com
Tricky Treats
If any company signals the end of the era of edibles being, well, barely edible, it’s 1906. The Denver brand’s five unique chocolates—all with equal parts CBD and THC—are formulated to have specific, fast-acting effects. For example, its Go variety (dark-chocolate-covered, CBD-infused Sträva Craft Coffee beans) gives you an energy kick, and the Bliss (-inducing) dark chocolate peanut butter cups contain mood-improving herbs along with five milligrams each of CBD and THC. Go beans start at $22, Bliss Cups start at $10; 1906newhighs.com
Chew on This
Stillwater Brands calls itself a food company that works with cannabidiol—and it walks that talk by employing a food scientist to lead its R & D. Its gummies are tender and smooth, with fruit-juice-derived colors and flavors. The honey lavender variation, in particular, provides a gentle five-milligram CBD dose (and 0.25 milligram of THC; as with all marijuana products, read dosage instructions, start low and go slow, and store somewhere inaccessible to anyone under 21). $20 for 20; stillwaterbrands.life
A Little Hemp from My Friends
Each six-ounce jar of honey from Parker’s Frangiosa Farms is mixed with 500 milligrams of full-spectrum, Colorado-grown hemp extract and comes in flavors like Ginger Soothe and Lemon Stress Less. $28 for a six-ounce jar or $3 for a single-serving honey stick; coloradohemphoney.com
Spark Up
Longtime Salida bitters crafter Dram Apothecary recently released a line of stellar seltzers. But unlike LaCroix, these sugar-free sippers deliver 20 milligrams of organic-hemp-derived CBD per can. “Adaptogenic” plants (thought to increase the body’s stress-fighting abilities) give the refreshing botanical flavors a boost. $16 for four 12-ounce cans; dramdose.com
