More Okanagan cannabis consumers choosing beverages as quality improves

We’re still a long way off from seeing cannabis drinks catch up to other ways of getting stoned but a pot shop’s smoke friendly patio in Penticton is seeing more people drinking cannabis drinks.

Mariana Wolff owns Cannabis Cottage in Penticton which has one of the few patios people can smoke on, and she said local companies have made strides on improving cannabis beverages in the past few years.

“Research and development has expanded tremendously for all categories and beverages are not excluded from that,” she said. “The drinks have improved flavour wise.”

Chewy edibles like gummies are the most popular edibles in B.C. and infused drinks are in second place, according to the latest BC Liquor Distribution Branch quarterly report.

She said that there are products now that are using more than just THC and CBD, and including ingredients that have the other components that contribute to a high.

“Potency-wise now they are making beverages not just with THC or CBD distillate, but using full spectrum inputs, like rosin, for example. So you get a little bit more of that robust high with those inputs,” she said.

Alannah Davis is the CEO of Dabble Cannabis which makes live rosin and works with SMYLE Brands to emulsify the rosin to turn into infused drinks. They launched their Sparkling Raspberry Lemonade last year.

“Professional development on like formulations and stuff like that has come a long way because some of the early drinks I tried kind of tasted a little like bong water. Our drinks are certainly not that,” she said.

Dabble also produces gummies, but Davis said both products reach a different consumer.

“I think that people who are consuming drinks are doing so socially and gummies aren’t always like that use case,” Davis said. “The drink consumer is the one that is replacing (alcohol) for social occasions, like at a barbecue or a party.”

Aside from Cannabis Cottage there aren’t many public spaces for people to legally consume cannabis and she said that won’t change until there’s more public pressure to loosen up regulations to allow for infused drinks in more spaces.

“If consumers want to have that, then they need to be telling their elected officials,” Davis said.

Since the product is getting better, Wolff said more people are drinking infused beverages on the Cannabis Cottage patio.

“It’s designated for cannabis consumption,” she said. “They can sit and relax and know that it’s a space where they’re not going to be asking you, they’re not breaking any rules.”

A better product isn’t the only reason more people might be turning to cannabis drinks, she said there are bigger picture trends like the fewer Gen Zers drinking alcohol.

“A big thing has to do with more awareness of the negative impacts of long-term alcohol consumption as Gen Zers or anybody starts becoming aware of that, we can make lifestyle changes to take that into account,” she said.

Since the trade war with the U.S. began people have been more invested in supporting local companies. Wolff said the Kelowna based cannabis drink producer Hytn Innovations is one of her go-tos with flavours like rosewater lemonade and pomelo papaya for $7.

“They’re like a bubbly water, fresh and light. I get my chill buzz but then when it’s worn off later, I can still get myself home without having to deal with a hangover in the morning like some of my friends sometimes,” she said. “As soon as you let a consumer know this is from BC, or even better, this is from the Okanagan, they’re usually like, ‘oh, yeah, OK, we’ll get that one.’”

There were $2.3 million in beverage sales in the last three months of 2025 and $6.9 million in chewable edible sales over the same period.

“The cannabis beverage category is growing but still only represents a small share of revenue in the BC market,” the BC Liquor Distribution Branch said in an email. “From a dollar perspective, the category has grown 10 per cent versus the same timeframe last year.”

Food and drink market researcher Towards FnB did a study and found that the global cannabis beverage market size was valued at $2.2 billion, and the top nine companies are Canadian.

Cannabis drinks are capped at 10 milligrams of THC per can and Wolff said they work well for people who are sensitive to THC.

“If you’re sensitive to micro-dosing, have a nice chill buzz for a lot cheaper than a case of beer and you have a nice sleep at the end of it rather than waking up feeling hungover,” she said.