Brooklyn Cafe Offers Legal Cannabis Coffee
Image Credit: Toa Heftiba on Unsplash
With the growth of medical cannabis and CBD, business owners are looking at cannabis brands, cannabis culture, the cannabis industry and the cannabis market for inspiration and to make a profit. Many large companies are jumping on board the cannabis and CBD train, including those in the food industry. Many of these large companies are racing towards making CBD and cannabis-infused beverages and food. But what about the smaller, local business?
Ian Ford is the man behind his new “coffee shop creation”. Ian is a New Yorker and an underground DJ. He has performed at some of New York’s most well-known clubs such as Webster Hall, Splash XLand The Bank. Now he is trying to balance two businesses, his DJ career, and his Coffee shop. He decided to combine the two together by holding music events in the coffee shop to share his music, as well as an option for local performers to share theirs. So far, it seems to be a hit!
Cannabis Coffee Cafe
The coffee shop in Brooklyn known as The Caffeine Underground opened its doors on 447 Central Ave in August 2018. It offers a type of coffee that isn’t very common. The shop was voted “Best Coffee” in The Bushwick Daily, featured on Secret NYC, News 12, and TimeOut. It serves teas, coffees, and meals and by all accounts, it’s a standard issue coffee shop. However, the Caffeine Underground is a unique coffee house. This is because it is the only coffee shop in NYC that serves a special coffee that is infused with CBD (aka cannabidiol), one of many active ingredients of the cannabis plant) infused coffee. It was (and still is) a well-established place and it is well-known for being a healthy coffee shop. This is because, before it was selling CBD it was selling charcoal and kava infused drinks.
The CBD-infused coffee sold here is called the Flower Power Coffee, and it is “made to order” by the expert baristas. The coffee is said to offer “blissful pain killing effects of cannabis without the somewhat debilitating (and illegal in NY) high associated with consuming cannabis’ THC (the mind-altering chemical in the plant).
Ford’s inspiration for the coffee shop came from his own experience when he hurt his back. He took CBD for the first time and said
It got me through the day. I slept like a baby that night. It was fine, without any interference. I could drive my car, no problem. It took my pain away, took the anxiety away. I had an awesome day. The caffeine in the coffee gives it a nice little energy bed that keeps you going through that.
All You Need to Know about CBD-Infused Coffee
CBD, a non-mind-altering drug and has no psychoactive effect on people who consume it. Since the coffee contains CBD oil, the shop is promoting the coffee as medically beneficial due to the potential medical effects of the plant. While studies show that CBD holds medical benefits, It’s important to note that more studies are needed on the chemical compound and on the cannabis plant itself. In saying that, researchers do know that CBD contains anti-inflammatory properties and pain relief.
CBD is a type of cannabinoid, the chemicals commonly found in cannabis. Cannabinoids interact directly with a part of the human body called the endocannabinoid system. This system is associated with appetite control, pain regulation, and stress. The endocannabinoid system is why cannabis can stimulate avuser’s appetites as well as provide a high level of pain relief.
Short of full legalization of cannabis, the innovations of establishments like the Caffeine Underground may be the best way for in New Yorkers to enjoy the medicinal and positive effects of CBD oil and medical marijuana (if and when it becomes legalized).
