Coffee infused with marijuana ingredient arriving in U.S.

Coffee infused with marijuana ingredient arriving in U.S.

PanARMENIAN.Net - Amsterdam Co. CoffeeBar, a new coffee shop that will serve drinks infused with super-trendy, cannabis-derived compound CBD, will open its doors in EaDo this summer, Eater Houston reports.

The new coffee shop is a project from Houston-born concert promoter Michael Migl and co-founder Drew Bailey, both of whom are currently negotiating a lease on a space in the rapidly-growing EaDo neighborhood. According to Bailey, the shop is intended to evoke the casual vibe of the famous coffeeshops of Amsterdam, known for being spaces where people can sip lattes and smoke weed at the same time.

In Houston, though, the cannabis products on offer at Amsterdam Co. won’t contain much (if any) THC, the psychoactive compound in marijuana that is restricted by federal law. Instead, these products will focus on cannabidiol, or CBD, which is purported by its enthusiasts to treat everything from anxiety and epilepsy to cancer. Amsterdam Co. will be Houston’s first CBD-focused shop, but it’s part of a growing trend — over the past year, restaurants across the country have been infusing the oil into everything from ice cream to baked goods and of course, coffee. “CBD is legal in Texas, it’s around everywhere,” Migl says. “There’s already a CBD cafe in San Antonio. We’re trying to be the first one in Houston. I’m from Houston, and we want it to be a Houston thing.”

Migl and Bailey plan to offer CBD oil as an additive to drinks like Dutch press coffee made with butter and cinnamon-infused milk, smoothies, lattes, and teas. The shop won’t serve food, but the duo are currently looking for purveyors of baked goods to retail in the shop, or food trucks to park outside. Eventually, once the coffee shop is up and running, the plan is to add beer and wine to the menu at Amsterdam Co.

In Texas, state cannabis laws are murky, which means that some question whether or not it’s actually legal to sell the cannabis derivative in the state. Despite that uncertainty, as the Austin American Statesman reported last October, state law enforcement officials have not made it a priority to pursue shops selling CBD products. The Drug Enforcement Agency also insists that CBD is illegal on a federal level, but is not pursuing businesses who sell CBD-infused products or those who use them. Considering all this legal haziness, Migl and Bailey have retained a Denver-based attorney who specializes in cannabis-focused businesses to help them navigate any potential legal concerns.

“We’re prepared for any potential consequences,” Migl tells Eater. “As long as we’re doing what we’re supposed to be doing, and toeing the line, I don’t see [the city] coming after us. We’ve done our research and we’re pretty confident that we’re going to be going by the book.”

Amsterdam Co. CoffeeBar is expected to open sometime this summer. Stay tuned for more details on its arrival.

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