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Northern Michigan coffee shop has a new menu item that is said to heal
everything from arthritis to anxiety.
Espresso Bay of Traverse City is now serving CBD oil-infused drinks.
CBD oil is a legal cannabinoid that is derived from hemp. In Michigan, it is not classified as a marijuana, and contains less than 0.3 percent of THC, the active ingredient in weed that produces a high in users.
CBD oil does not have psychoactive effects and does not show up on a drug test. Under current laws, it does not require an ID to purchase.
Proponents of
the oil say it has miraculous healing effects and works on pain, depression,
anxiety, mental disorders, weight loss and more.
Espresso Bay is infusing five to 15 milligrams of the substance into
special orders, including in coffees, lattes and smoothies. It’s an ingredient
Espresso Bay owner Dan Guy can really stand behind.
“I myself
have been taking it for two years because I have an autoimmune disease,” said
Guy. “I really truly believe it can help a lot of people with chronic pain…I’m
serving it to people because I hope that it can help people like it’s helped
me.”
Guy experimented with many drink iterations to get his recipe just right. His new CBD oil latte has cinnamon, honey and steamed milk to balance the “earthy” flavor of the CBD oil.
“Mixing it with the coffee, I think, provides the best balance,” said Guy. “The coffee gives you a little caffeine boost and the CBD oil gives you a nice, natural calming, it’s a perfect balance.”
The CBD oil does not have adverse side effects and produces a general calmness shortly after consumption. It does not impair driving or function.
It is legal
statewide yet lawmakers are still not sure how to regulate it. It is legally
considered hemp under the 2018 U.S. Farm Bill. The Michigan department of
Licensing and Regulatory Affairs labeled CBD oil as a marijuana last year, but
recent house legislation re-classifies it as a hemp.
“As long as
you’re under the 0.3 percent threshold [of THC] it’s considered legal,” said
Charles Orns, co-owner of Urban Meds Caregivers in Traverse City. “I’m glad
it’s been getting to be able to not be labeled as a marijuana product and be
over-regulated, we’ve helped so many people with it.”
The CBD oil needs to adhere to FDA regulations. Right now, legislators need more legal framework to define it and regulate it.
