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As long as humans have been using cannabis for medicinal and spiritual practices, we have been steeping the leaves, stems, and flowers to extract the therapeutic benefits.
Weed teas are simple to prepare (a cannabis tea recipe requires just three ingredients). Yet, despite the simplicity, each warming cup of tea can provide gentle, soothing effects.
What is cannabis tea?
Cannabis tea is a traditional herbal drink made by soaking cannabis flower, leaves, and sometimes weed stems in hot water. Whether it’s brewed from a potent THC-rich strain or a mellow CBD variety, its medicinal qualities are unlocked by the brewing process.
A tea infused with cannabis often produces less intense effects than you’d expect from a joint or even an edible. Therefore, many patients prefer to use cannabis tea to gently relieve chronic symptoms, then a hard-hitting edible, which may leave them feeling hungry and tired.
How does cannabis tea work?
Cannabis tea is technically classified as an edible, which means the beneficial compounds are absorbed through digestion rather than through inhalation. As the tea moves through the digestive tract, its medicinal properties are metabolized through the liver before they end up in the bloodstream for therapeutic effect – similar to the path cannabis edibles take through the body.
Weed tea often has a much higher concentration of THCa than THC, which means gentler intoxicating effects than you’d expect from smoking a joint or eating an edible. This is because boiling cannabis in water doesn’t as effectively convert the naturally occurring acidic cannabinoids (THCa, CBDa) into the desired neutral cannabinoids (THC, CBD). 1
And this isn’t a bad thing. The mild-mannered nature of cannabis tea helpfully allows you to explore the medicinal benefits of THCa, in a way that doesn’t lead to the sometimes powerful high that comes with traditional edibles like baked goods and candies.
Need a more potent elixir? Decarboxylate the cannabis flower to activate the THC before you prepare your tea. Each cup prepared from decarbed flower will contain more THC than THCa.
But if you’d rather keep it simple and guarantee your hot drink tastes good, premade teas are a great option.
The 4 best cannabis and CBD-infused teas in 2024
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Price: $19.99
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Cannabinoids: Broad Spectrum CBD, approximately 5mg of per serving
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Type: Chamomile (Non-Caffeinated)
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Price: $44
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Cannabinoids: 10 mg THC, 5 mg CBD per serving
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Type: Mint Green Tea (Caffeinated)
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Price: $5.50
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Cannabinoids: CBD, 60 mg per serving
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Type: Chai (Caffeinated)
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Price: $28.00
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Cannabinoids: CBD, 25 mg per serving
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Type: Chamomile and Lavender (Non-Caffeinated)
Buddha CBD Tea: Chamomile Blend
Price: $19.99
Ingredients: Organic chamomile, organic lemon balm, organic lavender, broad spectrum water-soluble CBD
Cannabinoids: Broad Spectrum CBD, approximately 5mg of per serving
Type: Chamomile (Non-Caffeinated)
Specially formulated for calming benefits, Buddha’s CBD tea blends soothing herbs like chamomile, lemon balm, and lavender with a dose of broad-spectrum CBD. This is a caffeine and THC-free product, with roughly 5 mg of CBD per serving. Buddha Tea is one of the most well known brands in tea, and this CBD-infused line uses all organic ingredients, with no artificial sweeteners, flavors, or preservatives.
Kikoko Positivi-Tea: Mint Green Tea
Price: $44
Ingredients: Peppermint, green tea, spearmint, licorice root, lemon myrtle, lemongrass, organic cane sugar, gum arabic, kikigold cannabis (activated)
Cannabinoids: 10 mg THC, 5 mg CBD per serving
Type: Mint Green Tea (caffeinated)
A dose of Positivi-Tea delivers the perfect combination of activated THC and CBD to uplift your mood and mind. Inside every single serving, you’ll find a flavorful blend of herbs, including spearmint, peppermint, and lemongrass. The brand sources organic ingredients wherever possible. Plus, Kikoko is dedicated to sustainability, thanks to its recyclable and reusable packaging.
Kikoko teas were only available in California at time of writing.
The Brothers Apothecary Chai Awakening CBD tea
Price: $5.50
Ingredients: Hemp, darjeeling, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, black pepper, ginger, vanilla bean, clove, anise, chrysanthemum flower, vanilla bean extract, coconut milk powder, yuca root, acacia fiber
Cannabinoids: CBD, 60 mg per serving
Type: Chai (caffeinated)
The Brothers Apothecary has crafted a CBD tea using a blend of herbs and spices inspired by the warming flavors of a traditional cup of chai tea. This is a caffeinated cup of tea with punches of cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg. Every cup contains an incredible 60 mg dose of CBD, and the company encourages you to re-steep each bag several times to extract the most benefit.
Glow Water Sleep CBD Tea
Price: $28.00
Ingredients: Chamomile, lavender, hemp-derived CBD
Cannabinoids: CBD, 25 mg per serving
Type: Chamomile and lavender (non-caffeinated)
Glow Water teas are designed for drinking hot or cold. The Sleep Blend contains both lavender and chamomile, both herbs known for their calming effects. With 25 mg of hemp-derived CBD per serving, Glow Water ensures every package contains the ideal dose to promote sleep and rest. Unlike other CBD teas, this formula doesn’t have any sweeteners.
How to make cannabis tea at home
Ingredients
- 0.04 oz
ground flower
- 1
tea bag of your choice (or loose tea equivalent)
- 1
cup water
-
Optional: honey, sugar, cream, non-dairy milk
- 1 gram
ground flower
- 1
tea bag of your choice (or loose tea equivalent)
- 1
cup water
-
Optional: honey, sugar, cream, non-dairy milk
Tools:
- Medium pot
- Tea steeper or cheesecloth
- Mug
Directions
- Bring water to a rapid boil.
- Add the ground-up cannabis flower, and allow to boil gently for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Pour into a tea steeper (or strain through a cheesecloth), and add the tea bag of your choice.
- Prepare tea as per package instructions.
- Strain the tea and remove the tea bag.
- Add sweeteners or milk to taste.
- Enjoy
Bottom line on cannabis-infused tea
While there are dozens of flashy new cannabis products lining store shelves, there is something to be said about the therapeutic benefits of a cup of cannabis tea. Nothing quite calms nerves and warms the heart like a cup of tea, especially with an added boost of cannabinoids.
Whether you learn how to make cannabis tea at home or choose to steep a ready-to-use product, you’ll soon discover cannabis tea is one of the most soothing ways to reap this plant’s restorative effects.
Sources
- Sulak, Dustin & Saneto, Russell & Goldstein, Bonni. (2017). The current status of artisanal cannabis for the treatment of epilepsy in the United States. Epilepsy & Behavior. 70. 10.1016/j.yebeh.2016.12.032.
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