Cannabis Energy Drink appears popular in Moses Lake

MOSES LAKE - A 'cannabis energy drink' sounds like a joke or an oxy-moron.

For Douglas Burke it is a profitable, and fun, product his company distributes.

Burke's Distributing, of Spokane, usually deals in candy, tobacco and snacks; your run of the mill, legal vices of the American convenience store. The company supplies products to Moses Lake convenience stores.

Last summer, one of Burke's customers asked about Cannabis Energy Drink, a new product on the market. After that call, he got 14 more the same day, he said.

He visited the product's website and wrote an e-mail of interest. Two phone calls and 30 minutes later, Burke was scheduled to receive his first truckload within a week.

Cannabis Energy Drink was no joke.

Since June 19, when the first pallet arrived, Burke has sold more than 180,000 cans. "That's a lot of product, that's an awful lot of product!" Burke said.

Cannabis Energy Drink contains 'no traceable amounts' of THC, which, according to Burke means there is less that 3 percent THC content in the product. He said the part of the cannabis plant used in the product is oil extracted from the hemp seed.

Why include a part of the cannabis plant that does not get you high?

"There are lots of benefits of hemp," Burke said, "I typed in 'health benefits of hemp seeds' (in a web search) and was surprised at the different things it was good for...lowers bad cholesterol, good for your hair and skin, and helps women with menstrual cycles."

Another benefit of the hemp oil is that it mellows out the usually bitter aftertaste of energy drinks that contain caffeine and taurine, Burke said.

Although Burke is enjoying the attention his marijuana-themed vehicles and drink are getting, he is not ready to distribute products with THC content.

"There are so many unanswered questions, particularly on the federal level," he said.

Burke said taxes are likely to take a large portion of revenue from growers, producers and retailers, and the black market marijuana could remain a strong industry, making it an unattractive market for him right now.

Products with THC are "going to be a whole different game," he said.

You can find locations in Moses Lake where the Cannabis Energy Drink is sold by following the product on Facebook, search: Cannabis Energy Drink Spokane.