High Tea used to be a ritual of great significance and enjoyment. It was a way for workers to signify the end of a workday, to unwind with a soothing beverage and a delicious pastry, and to put another hard day behind them. It used to be quite popular across the former UK colonies, but it has fallen to the wayside mostly, probably owing to the fact that, when one thinks of relaxation these days, one doesn’t necessarily jump to Earl Grey tea.
But there’s a new tea in town, one that actually makes a case for bringing back high tea as a ritual way to unwind at the end of the day. Cannabis tea, or tea made with a blend of cannabis and other botanicals, is becoming more and more popular in North America, and it makes for the perfect post-work beverage. In this article, let’s look at what cannabis tea is, what its benefits are, and where you can (legally) find it.
What Is Cannabis Tea?
Cannabis tea is pretty much exactly as it sounds. It’s a tea made with cannabis, whether that’s a recreational sativa infused pot tea or an indica blend, whose effects are meant to calm and soothe you. Because steeping cannabis in hot water only extracts CBD – the non-psychoactive compound responsible for cannabis’ relaxing body effects – and not THC, cannabis tea is not a “trippy” or “stoned” experience. Rather, it is a relaxing experience in keeping with the spirit of high tea.
What Are the Benefits?
Studies have shown CBD to be effective at mitigating stress, reducing anxiety and aiding in pain relief and nausea reduction. In other words, after a stressful, painful, nausea-inducing day at the office, it’s probably the perfect thing to come home to!
Best of all, cannabis tea gets you all those benefits without you having to bring harmful smoke into your lungs; it provides all the medical benefits of cannabis and none of the risks.
What to Look for When Buying Cannabis Tea
Cannabis is, as of the time of writing, only legal in Canada and certain US states, which means those are the only places where you should buy cannabis tea. Canada, in particular, produces fantastic cannabis tea – companies like Olli Brands, who have been granted time and resources to experiment with different tea blends, do a great job creating teas that not only taste good but have a pleasant effect.
When buying cannabis tea, first look for indications that your source is reputable. Then, see if they make flavor combos that appeal to you; cannabis on its own in a tea can be a bit bracing, but companies that temper its strong terpenes with other ingredients often fare much better. If it’s important to you, find out whether the company you buy from has discrete packaging.
It’s high time we bring back high tea as a way of unwinding at the end of a difficult workday. Only, instead of reaching for that dusty old box of Earl Grey tea, let’s make a truly 21st Century ritual – sip some cannabis tea and enjoy your evening.