Alcohol has long reigned as the go-to drink for helping us “take the edge off,” relax a little, or during social situations. However, alcohol can also leave us with grueling hangovers that make us swear we’ll never drink booze again – until the next time. But what if we told you there’s another option?
Cannabis drinks Portland consumers can find today offer an excellent alternative to booze, and they’re quickly becoming some of the fastest-growing cannabis products on the market. Weed drinks are also flying off the shelves at Greeley Gallery, our North Portland dispensary near the University of Portland. These THC- and CBD-infused beverages offer the benefits and experience of cannabis without leaving you with a nasty hangover.
What Are Cannabis Drinks?
Cannabis drinks are just as their name indicates – various beverages infused with cannabis. In a sense, cannabis beverages are the liquid version of edibles. Both are consumed orally – meaning we eat and drink them – and both contain cannabis compounds such as THC and CBD. But that’s about as far as the similarities go.
For one thing, edibles are much easier to create because cannabinoids are lipophilic, which means they love fat and hate water. Drop THC extract into butter or brownie mix, and it gets soaked up, but drop it into a glass of water, and it will float on top like cooking oil. Lucky for us, after significant trial and error, experts found that nanoemulsion technology can break down cannabinoid molecules until they became small enough to mix reliably with liquid.
Basically, nanoemulsion takes the molecules that create cannabinoids like THC and then breaks them down into teeny-tiny particles measuring smaller than 100 nanometers, or roughly 1,000 times smaller than the width of a single hair on your head. These microscopic particles are then coated in surfactants that link the oily cannabinoids to a water-based beverage.
The result is a smoothly distributed and predictable cannabis product that’s taking the world by storm. According to a report published by Fortune Insights, the global market for cannabis drinks was $4.75 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow to $7.43 billion in 2026 and an incredible $242.68 billion by 2034.
So, what’s behind this immense growth and popularity? If we had to guess, it’s probably the awesome benefits cannabis drinks provide consumers.
Benefits of Cannabis Drinks in Portland
Cannabis drinks offer a variety of advantages that make them an appealing alternative to not just alcohol, but also traditional methods of cannabis consumption.
Precise Dosing: As with edibles and tinctures, cannabis infused drinks have clearly labeled dosages. Clear dosage labels give consumers control over their intake and, in turn, their experience. You may not even need to consume the full beverage to achieve your goal.
Fast Activation Time: Despite being consumed, cannabis drinks have a much quicker activation time than edibles do. While edibles can take an hour or two or more to kick in, the activation time of cannabis beverages is only between 15 and 30 minutes, closer to that of smoking weed.
This is because, as we mentioned, cannabinoids are fat-soluble. This means our stomach, liver, and large intestine break down the cannabis used to make edibles before it takes effect, which is why it can take an hour or two. However, thanks to the nanoemulsion technology used to break down the fat-soluble cannabinoids into water-soluble components, cannabis drinks can bypass our large intestine and therefore speed up the reaction time.
Reduced Health Risks: Smoking dried flower is the OG way to consume cannabis – whether joint, pipe, or bong – and remains a classic and popular consumption method today, but it’s not without risks. While the water filtration of bongs or water pipes helps, smoking dried flower exposes us to combustion smoke and the risk of inhaling plant particulates, both of which irritate our lungs.
This makes cannabis drinks an ideal solution because the drinks provide a similar activation time as smoking cannabis, but cannabis infused beverages bypass our lungs entirely, which helps reduce respiratory risks without delaying the activation time.
Socializing: Cannabis drinks are a star in social settings as they work perfectly as a substitute for alcohol. People love drinking at social gatherings, and it’s just as easy to sip on a cannabis cocktail as it is to sip a cocktail with booze. Like alcohol, a cannabis beverage can help us feel more relaxed and social at parties and other gatherings, but unlike alcohol, weed drinks won’t leave us with a hangover.
Variety: If you’ve read our Greeley Gallery blog much, you know that one of our (many) favorite things about cannabis is its versatility – from the thousands of cannabis strains to the dozens of unique products. The same is true for cannabis drinks.
Cannabis companies are turning out an impressive selection of cannabis beverages to meet consumers’ increasing demands. Now, there’s a cannabis drink for every occasion. From weed champagne to sodas, teas, seltzers, and syrups, there’s a cannabis beverage catering to a broad range of taste preferences. Even better is that the countless flavors of cannabis drinks expertly mask any taste of marijuana.
Our Favorite Cannabis Drinks in Portland
At Greeley Gallery, our North Portland dispensary carries a variety of cannabis drinks from Oregon producers. When it comes to cannabis drinks Portland shoppers can find at our dispensary, one of our clear favorites is Magic Number.
Founded and produced in Bend, Oregon since 2014, Magic Number provides a wide range of cannabis drinks for nearly every occasion. At our cannabis dispensary near the University of Portland, we offer a unique selection of Magic Number beverages, including sodas, teas, and lemonade, along with syrups for making cannabis cocktails.
Where to Buy Cannabis Drinks in Portland
Looking for cannabis drinks in Portland? Greeley Gallery carries a selection of THC-infused beverages at our North Portland dispensary, including locally produced Oregon options. Our selection includes cannabis sodas, teas, lemonades, syrups, and other beverages, with options for different tastes and desired experiences.
We’re conveniently located on N Greeley Ave near Rosa Parks Way, Arbor Lodge Park, and the University of Portland. Stop in to browse our current cannabis drink selection or ask our knowledgeable team for recommendations.
Final Thoughts
It’s really no surprise that cannabis drinks have emerged as a popular way to experience the wonderful world of our favorite green plant. Weed drinks provide a subtle and modern alternative to alcohol and other traditional cannabis consumption methods, while bypassing our large intestines and lungs, all while leaving us free of hangovers.
Cannabis drinks cater to a diverse range of goals and tastes while offering controlled dosing and fast activation times. If you’re interested in trying cannabis drinks in Portland, stop by Greeley Gallery and explore our selection of locally produced cannabis products and THC-infused beverages.
We’re located on Greeley Ave near Arbor Lodge Park and are typically open every day of the week from 7 AM to 10 PM for your convenience. View our menu.
Click the links below for directions. See you soon!
Google Maps: https://bit.ly/greeley-googlemaps
Apple Maps: https://bit.ly/greeley-applemaps
Written By: Katrina Paulson
