How I Accidentally Started a Cannabis Drinks Empire

By the Founder of LOKI | Creator of Premium Hemp Beverages, Reluctant CEO, and Someone Who Still Gets Nervous Eating Edibles

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Quick Takeaway: Why I Created Low THC Drinks for People Like Me

I launched LOKI because I wanted cannabis drinks that wouldn't make me hide in my bathroom. The low-dose THC beverages market exploded to $2.8 billion in 2023 (heading to $14.2 billion by 2030), proving I wasn't the only anxious person who wanted to feel good without feeling too good. Our 5mg cannabis-infused beverages work in 15-30 minutes – what we call "a better buzz" for people who consider one glass of wine "living dangerously."

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How I Started a Hemp Beverage Company Despite Being Afraid of Hemp

In 2020, I was sitting with my co-founders, pretending to understand cryptocurrency while they discussed market opportunities. Someone mentioned cannabis drinks.

"I can't even handle NyQuil," I said. "Why would I start a THC company?"

But that was exactly the point. If someone like me – who once called poison control after smelling my neighbor's joint – wanted a gentle cannabis experience, millions of others must want the same thing. Research showed 43% of adults were curious about cannabis-infused beverages but terrified of taking too much. These were my people. The anxious. The overthinking. The ones who read medication warnings for entertainment.

So we created LOKI: low THC drinks for people who Google "am I dying?" at least once a week.

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The Science Behind Our Hemp Beverages (Explained by Someone Who Failed Chemistry)

When we developed our formula, I insisted on 5mg because it sounded less scary than 10mg. Turns out, I was accidentally right. Dr. Jordan Tishler from Harvard confirmed 5mg lets people feel pleasant without losing the ability to operate doorknobs – a personal requirement of mine.

We use fancy technology that makes THC water-friendly. Our cannabis drinks work faster than brownies but slower than smoking – perfect for those of us who need time to prepare emotionally for feeling different. These THC-infused drinks take 15-30 minutes, just enough time to wonder if you made a mistake but not enough time to actually panic.

We follow the Farm Bill with less than 0.3% Delta-9 THC by dry weight. I don't fully understand what this means, but our lawyers assure me it makes our low-dose THC beverages federally legal and shippable to most states.

Here's what I tell nervous customers about LOKI:

• One can (5mg): You'll feel nice and maybe clean your house
• Two cans (10mg): Music sounds better, you become temporarily interesting
• Three cans (15mg): You understand why people like cannabis

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Creating Flavors That Don't Taste Like Regret

Most cannabis-infused beverages taste like someone liquefied a health food store. When developing LOKI, I demanded flavors I'd actually want to drink, even if they didn't contain THC.

Yuzu Dream

I discovered yuzu in Japan while having a panic attack about international travel. This citrus fruit calmed me down (or maybe it was the Xanax, hard to say). We put it in a can with 5mg THC. Now it's our flagship hemp beverage – sophisticated yet approachable, like a therapist who swears.

Tropical Guava

I wanted something that tasted like vacation because I'm too anxious to take actual vacations. This cannabis drink transports you to a beach where your biggest worry is sand in your shoes, not existential dread. Zero calories because we're all worried about something.

Peary Hibiscus

My business partner suggested this combination. I said it sounded pretentious. He said I was pretentious. We were both right. It became one of our best-selling low THC drinks, proving that even pretentious things can be popular (see also: myself).

Peach Lavender

Created after I read that lavender reduces anxiety. I don't know if it works, but placebo effects count when you're as suggestible as I am. Perfect for evening relaxation or pretending you're calm during Zoom calls.

These flavors achieved a 71% repeat purchase rate – the highest in THC-infused drinks. People actually like what we made. I'm as surprised as anyone.

Building a Cannabis Company While Being Terrible at Business

Starting LOKI meant doing things that terrified me:

• Talking to investors (I wore the same "lucky" shirt to every meeting)
• Testing products (started with 1mg, worked up to 5mg over three months)
• Public speaking (I take our own product before presentations)

Our Instagram (@siploki) has 5,900 followers who share their LOKI moments. I read every comment, especially at 3 AM when I can't sleep because I'm worried about things like "what if nobody likes cannabis drinks anymore?"

What I've learned about our customers:

• They're not "stoners" – they're anxious professionals like me
• They want to relax without losing control
• They appreciate that our hemp beverages don't make them paranoid
• They send very detailed emails about flavor suggestions

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Why Low-Dose THC Beverages Are Actually Brilliant (Even I Admit It)

The sober-curious movement grew 200% since 2020. People want alternatives to alcohol that won't ruin tomorrow. Our cannabis-infused beverages fit perfectly – social lubrication without the hangover or drunk texts to ex-partners.

Investment data validates what I stumbled into:

• 185% growth in low THC drinks since 2022
• 67% of millennials reducing alcohol consumption
• 78% of new users prefer cannabis drinks to other methods
• $3 billion market by 2025

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My mother, who once called the police because she smelled marijuana from three blocks away, now drinks LOKI at her book club. If that's not market validation, I don't know what is.

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The Accidental Success of Hemp Beverages

We positioned LOKI as "premium" because I'm too anxious to compete on price. Turns out, people will pay more for cannabis drinks that don't terrify them. Our approach:

Quality Obsession (aka My Anxiety Manifested)

• Test every batch three times (I insist)
• Natural ingredients only (artificial flavors make me nervous)
• Consistent 5mg dosing (precision reduces panic)
• Beautiful packaging (if it looks medical, I won't drink it)

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Legal Compliance (Because Prison Terrifies Me)Following the Farm Bill means our THC-infused drinks ship to 34 states. We triple-check every regulation. Our lawyer says I'm "overly cautious." I consider this a compliment.

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What Our Customers Say About Low-Dose THC Beverages

The feedback makes me emotional (everything makes me emotional):

"Finally, cannabis for overthinkers!" – Rachel, therapist

"I can relax without the room spinning" – Marcus, engineer

"Your founder's anxiety comes through in the best way" – Anonymous (probably my therapist)

"LOKI made me like cannabis" – My mother (still can't believe this)

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My Personal Rules for Cannabis-Infused Beverages

After creating and testing every batch personally, here's my guide:

Start Ridiculously Small

I recommend half a can for first-timers. Yes, even though our hemp beverages are already low-dose. Better to feel nothing than to spend three hours convinced your heart has relocated to your throat.

Perfect Timing

Empty stomach means 15-minute onset. With food, 30-45 minutes. I've documented this extensively in journals nobody asked for.

Environment Matters

Try cannabis drinks at home first. Not at your in-laws. Not at work events. I learned this through "research."

Trust the Process

Our low THC drinks are designed for consistency. Same effect every time. This predictability is essential for those of us who hate surprises.

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Where to Find LOKI (And Why I'm Proud of Our Distribution)

DrinkLOKI.com Our website ships to legal states. I personally approve every website update because I'm a control freak who founded a company.

Select Dispensaries We partner with places that don't make nervous people more nervous. Staff trained to handle questions like "will this make me see through time?"

Premium Retailers Growing presence in upscale shops. These THC-infused drinks sit next to kombucha, making them seem normal by association.

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The Future of Cannabis Drinks (If I Don't Panic and Sell Everything)

We're developing new products:

• Even lower dose options (2.5mg for the truly terrified)
• Functional ingredients (L-theanine for calm, because we need all the help we can get)
• Seasonal flavors (currently testing Pomegranate Anxiety – I mean Pomegranate Mint)

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Hotels want our hemp beverages in minibars. Restaurants request cannabis drinks for pairing menus. The world is embracing what we created for anxious people who just want to feel slightly better.

Final Thoughts from Someone Who Can't Believe This Worked

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I started LOKI because I wanted cannabis-infused beverages that wouldn't send me to the emergency room with "symptoms" that turned out to be "feelings." Now we're a successful company selling low-dose THC beverages to thousands of people just like me.

Sometimes I drink a LOKI Yuzu and think about how I accidentally created something people love while being afraid of everything, including success. It's proof that anxiety, properly channeled, can build empires. Or at least nice beverage companies.

If you told me five years ago I'd be the founder of a cannabis drinks company, I would have laughed nervously and immediately changed the subject. But here I am, shipping THC-infused drinks nationwide while checking tracking numbers obsessively at 4 AM.

Welcome to LOKI. We make hemp beverages for people who overthink everything, including their beverage choices. You're safe with us – I've panicked so you don't have to.

About the Author:Founder of LOKI, maker of premium cannabis drinks since 2020. Suffers from anxiety, impostor syndrome, and an inability to relax without chemical assistance. Created low THC drinks because regular cannabis made me call 911 that one time. Lives with constant fear that everyone will realize I don't know what I'm doing, despite running a successful hemp beverage company.

Medical facts reviewed by real doctors who assured me 5mg won't hurt anyone
Market data triple-checked because I don't trust single sources

Disclaimer :LOKI contains hemp-derived THC per the 2018 Farm Bill. 21+ only. Drink responsibly (I literally cannot stress this enough). FDA hasn't evaluated these statements because they're busy with other things.Not for pregnancy, nursing, or people more anxious than me (if that's possible).

Try LOKI: Visit DrinkLOKI.com and use code NERVOUSGOODNESS for 10% off. I promise our cannabis-infused beverages won't make you paranoid. I tested them myself. Extensively. Maybe too extensively.