Drink weed, not your calories: Cannabis beverage CQ coming to Arizona

The California-based brand is available to purchase online but will debut in select Arizona dispensaries later this month.

By Zach Newman

August 12, 2024

CQ's products run from $10 for shots to $20 for CQ Cola. Zach Newman

We have a favor to ask

We're in the midst of our summer membership campaign, and we have until August 25 to raise $8,500. Your contributions are an investment in our election coverage – they help sustain our newsroom, help us plan, and could lead to an increase in freelance writers or photographers. If you value our work, please make a contribution today to help us reach our goal.

Contribute Now

Progress to goal

$8,500

$3,000

Audio By Carbonatix

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "18478561",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2",
          
          "watchElement": ".fdn-content-body",
          "astAdList": [
            {
              "adType": "rectangle",
              "displayTargets": "mobile"
            }
          ]
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "16759093",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1",
          
          "watchElement": ".fdn-content-body",
          "astAdList": [
            {
              "adType": "rectangle",
              "displayTargets": "desktop|tablet"
            },{
              "adType": "rectangle",
              "displayTargets": "desktop|tablet|mobile"
            }
          ]
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759092",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25,
          
          "watchElement": ".fdn-content-body",
          "astAdList": [
            {
              "adType": "rectangle",
              "displayTargets": "desktop|tablet"
            },{
              "adType": "rectangle",
              "displayTargets": "desktop|tablet|mobile"
            }
          ]
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759094",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24,
          
          "watchElement": ".fdn-content-body",
          "astAdList": [
            {
              "adType": "leaderboardInlineContent",
              "displayTargets": "desktop|tablet"
            },{
              "adType": "tower",
              "displayTargets": "mobile"
            }
          ]
        }
      ]

Cannabis Quencher, the trailblazing cannabis beverage brand from California, has its sights set on new territory. By next month, CQ drinks will be on shelves in Arizona, joining a select few cannabis beverages already available.

Arizonans can look forward to cannabis-infused beverages in flavors such as strawberry lemonade, berry lime and mango lemonade, offered as THC and hybrid THC-CBD drinks with a tropical twist. CQ is rolling out 2-ounce beverage shots in indica, sativa and hybrid varieties, made with real fruit juice and organic ingredients. The company’s award-winning cannabis-infused CQ Cola, which won second place at the Illinois Cannabis Cup, also will be available in the Grand Canyon State.

CQ said its products, which run from $10 for the shots to $20 for CQ Cola, will be offered at select dispensaries as soon as late August. The participating dispensaries have not yet been announced.

“CQ always wins the taste test. It isn’t the cheapest; it’s the best,” CQ founder Kenny Morrison said in an interview with Phoenix New Times.

Morrison, a pioneer in California’s early cannabis legalization efforts, collaborated with the first legal dispensaries in Los Angeles in 2008 before establishing his own edibles company. Following successful expansions into other cannabis-friendly states, CQ achieved a significant milestone in 2016 by selling its first million bottles.

CQ’s infused beverages undergo rigorous lab testing and are crafted with hand-selected botanical terpenes, inspired by iconic strains such as OG Kush and Sage, which were foundational during the early days of cannabis legalization.

In addition to cannabis-infused beverages, CQ offers low-dose seltzer juices for those looking for an alternative to alcohol. These seltzers are available nationwide through the company's website. According to Morrison, “Eighty percent of our seltzer fans are new to cannabis.”

One of CQ’s mottos is “Take a break from booze, not your social life,” which the company hopes resonates with consumers seeking a nonalcoholic alternative buzz. Thanks to the beverages' precise dosing, they appeal to both everyday consumers and first-time users.

“Our customers range from busy moms to seasoned smokers, and we incorporate wellness and inclusivity with our products,” Morrison said.

Become A Member

BEFORE YOU GO...
Can you help us continue to share our stories? Since the beginning, Phoenix New Times has been defined as the free, independent voice of Phoenix — and we'd like to keep it that way. Our members allow us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls.