Cann 0mg Made Me Happy (But Not In the Way It’s Supposed To)
· Vice
It’s not lost on us that our current era of vague cannabis legality (made possible by the 2018 Farm Bill and its attendant loopholes) is veering dangerously near to a close. Tons of very successful businesses have been built on the foundation of these legal loopholes, and now, well, they’re panicking. The savvier brands, though, are pivoting.
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Cann, purveyor of delightful microdosed THC beverages, is among the brands that are determined to survive the transition, come hell or high THC-infused water. As proof, they recently launched a new line of THC-free beverages dubbed 0mg, with zero milligrams of cannabinoids, but lots of milligrams of other shit—including electrolytes, passion flower, L-theanine, and more—that promise to elevate your mood and energy despite the lack of more intoxicating infusions.
I am an outspoken fan of the brand’s THC beverages, so I thought I’d give 0mg a try and see if it has a place in my daily routine, even if it can’t get me ever-so-slightly-perfectly high like the original product.
Cann 0mg: the first sip
One of my favorite things about Cann’s THC Social Tonic is the array of flavors. They’re all super delicious and not weedy at all. They taste like elevated fizzy alcohol-free cocktails, with several variations on a fruit + herb motif that makes for a solid, tasty lineup.
(opens in a new window)0MG Blood Orange Cardamom (opens in a new window)
$33-$65 at Cann Buy Now (opens in a new window)Cann 0mg, wisely, uses these flavors as well. I assume the plan here was to get people like me, who love the OG, hooked on drinking the THC-free version during times when THC is not appropriate, like during work (if you work anywhere but vice.com).
So 0mg comes in Lemon Lavender, Blood Orange Cardamom, and the brand-new Half & Half (iced tea and lemonade). Cann sent me the Blood Orange Cardamom flavor to try out, and I finished the pack very quickly. So quickly, in fact, that I forgot about gathering data for this review, and had to dig a can out of the recycling to photograph for this story.
(opens in a new window) CannCann x Dwyane Wade Half & Half 0mg THC (opens in a new window)
$33-$65 at Cann Buy Now (opens in a new window)The naturally-flavored Blood Orange Cardamom 0mg tastes a lot like a San Pellegrino Aranciata, aka the best fancy soda for grown-ups in the game. It’s definitely more orangey than herby, but has an underlying complexity from the cardamom that elevates it beyond, you know, Fanta or whatever. It’s also a lot less sugary—it’s still pleasantly sweet, but not outright sugary. That’s probably because they use agave nectar for sweetening (Margarita lovers know how well that pairs with orange).
I would definitely like to see Cann expand their 0mg flavors to include Yuzu Elderflower, Ginger Lemongrass, and other favorites. But the project is off to a good start with these.
(opens in a new window)0MG Lemon Lavender (opens in a new window)
$33-$65 at Cann Buy Now (opens in a new window)WHat’s in Cann 0mg?
I’m gonna be straight right here for a second. When you ingest THC, you get high. So you know the active ingredients are doing something. With 0mg, the benefits are, as expected, quite a bit more dubious.
Cann 0mg contains electrolytes (potassium citrate, sodium citrate), magnesium, L-Theanine, and Passion Flower. So, electrolytes, yes. There’s solid science behind electrolytes upping your body’s hydration functions, so that’s all well and good here. Magnesium, too, is demonstrably good for you, although I can’t personally speak to it improving my mood, really.
Less certain still are the effects of L-Theanine, which is supposed to promote relaxation—but the science behind it is still not totally vetted. And finally, passion flower is basically thought to lower anxiety, but there is reeeally not a ton of science behind that claim.
I get it. Cann is a company that’s oriented towards mind-altering substances, and it would strike me as kind of odd if their THC-free beverage wasn’t “functional” in some way. They’re also savvy marketers, which is a must in this space. I just am not a super crunchy dude; I believe in science and am not super in touch with my body and emotions. I have spent many long years of drinking actual poison (alcohol)—and loving it.
I’m also a marketer too, so this type of s**t doesn’t really work on me. So forgive me if I can’t feel a “gentle wave of joy” from a smidge of passion flower extract! What does give me a gentle wave of joy, though, is drinking a damn tasty natural orange soda on a hot day. That is the real story here. Plus, it clocks in at only 50 calories per can. That’s like 1/3 of a Coke.
Can I get Cann 0mg anywhere?
Cann 0mg was developed as a response to many states making shipping even hemp-based THCA products illegal. Since Cann could no longer cater to these customers with their THC Social Tonic, they created 0mg as a way to keep selling Cann in the states that banned it.
So, yes, long story short, you can get Cann 0mg shipped to you anywhere.
Check out our guide to where THC is still legal to learn more.
What’s the difference between THC and THCA? Our cannabis expert explains that a lot better than I could.
Try these, if you cann
If reading this just got you curious about the 2mg THC Social Tonic, you should def grab some—if it’s available in your state. This is the best flavor, btw:
(opens in a new window) CannYuzu Elderflower Social Tonic (opens in a new window)
Available at Cann Buy Now (opens in a new window)If my raves about the flaves was compelling but 2mg is too lightweight status, try Hi Boy. It’s got double the dose, and it’s bigger.
(opens in a new window) CannHi Boy – Blood Orange Cardamom (opens in a new window)
Available at Cann Buy Now (opens in a new window)Is Cann 0mg Worth it?
Well… starting at $33 for an 8-pack, Cann 0mg is definitely not cheap for a beverage with no proven benefits besides tasting good. That’s like $4 a can. Beer is cheaper and gets you drunk. Cann’s 2mg THC Social Tonic is $73 for a 12-pack; 0mg is $49 for the same. That… is pretty dang pricey for something that doesn’t get you high.
So, I recommend trying a one-time purchase to see for yourself if you’re curious. But if you’re able to get the THC option where you live, go for that instead.
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