• Posted July 21, 2026

Cannabis Drinks Sold Next To Soda Are Sending Kids To The ER, Doctors Say

Cannabis beverages are increasingly turning up in stores next to iced tea, sodas and even chocolate milk, and doctors warn the easy access is putting kids at risk.

The colorful cans contain THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), the psychoactive compound in marijuana that gives users a "high," but many carry small or easy-to-miss labeling. 

During a recent tour of New York City stores, most displayed no signage identifying the drinks as intoxicating, and cashiers did not check identification at the register, according to a report from the news organization STAT.

The beverages have surged in popularity as Americans drink less alcohol, with hundreds of brands competing for an estimated $1.4 billion in sales this year. 

Their spread stems from a loophole in the 2018 Farm Bill, a federal law that legalized products derived from hemp. That loophole is set to close in November, banning the products from shelves, though the industry expects Congress to step in, STAT reports.

Availability often runs ahead of the law. New York limits these drinks to 1 milligram of THC per serving, yet cans holding 50, 60 and even 100 mg were easy to find, according to STAT. State rules vary widely, shift often and are rarely enforced.

The sharpest concern is for young people. Dr. Rudy Kink, a pediatric emergency physician at Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee, said his hospital sees four to five kids a week who have consumed the drinks. They are a mix of curious toddlers drawn to bright packaging and teens experimenting with cannabis. 

Children often arrive lethargic, confused and vomiting, he told STAT, and parents may have no idea what is wrong until urine and blood testing detects THC.

"I don't think that teenagers quite understand the effects of THC," Kink said, adding that he wants the drinks clearly marked so there is no confusion.

Mislabeling raises the stakes for adults, too. Tory Spindle, a cannabis researcher at Johns Hopkins Medicine, said some buyers may not realize a can contains THC at all. The worst case, he told STAT, is someone becoming intoxicated unknowingly and then driving. 

His research also suggests the drinks kick in faster than edibles — within 15 to 20 minutes — which can catch users off guard.

Because many hemp-derived drinks bypass licensed dispensaries, they also skip the testing their products undergo, said health educator Jessica Kruger. Buyers cannot be sure of the potency, or whether contaminants are present, she told STAT.

Retailers handle the drinks inconsistently. Some large chains post warning signs and check IDs, but many smaller shops stock the cans unmarked, beside soft drinks, STAT found.

Not everyone sees only risk. Kruger said the beverages may help some adults cut back on alcohol, and industry groups argue they should simply be regulated, labeled and ID-checked like other adult drinks.

More information

Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for answers to frequently asked questions about cannabis.

SOURCE: STAT, July 21, 2026