Life

This Cult Favorite Elixir Brand Now Makes A CBD Version

The CBD train doesn’t seem to be slowing down at all — and if you’re one of its happy passenger, good news: The +CBD elixir from Dirty Lemon has just been restocked after debuting to great popularity just a few months ago. If you’ve been looking for a new way to get your regular CBD dosage — because, I mean, soda, coffee, and chocolate are all great, but sometimes, you just want to change things up a bit — this drinkable version might be worth a shot. Even better, you can order it just by sending a text message to the right phone number.

Founded by Zak Normandin in 2015, Dirty Lemon makes “elixirs” — drinks meant to impart particular health benefits to those who consume them based on their main ingredients. There’s an activated charcoal elixir, for example, which is “designed to improve digestion, stimulate liver function, and gently cleanse your system of impurities”; meanwhile, the ginseng elixir claims to “heighten focus and alertness” to provide “all day energy”; and the sleep tonic uses “calming magnesium, hydrating rose water and anti-inflammatory botanicals” to, well, help you sleep better. It was no surprise, therefore, when the company debuted +CBD, a cannabidiol-infused elixir which was the result of a partnership with luxury cannabis brand BEBOE, earlier this summer — and equally unsurprising that it turned out to be so popular, it sold more than 600 cases within two days through pre-orders alone.

You’re probably already familiar with CBD’s purported benefits, but in case you need a reminder, there’s research-backed evidence that CBD can function as an anti-inflammatory, that it can ease anxiety, that it can help with insomnia, and that it can even alleviate migraines. Additionally, it was big news earlier this summer when the Food and Drug Administration approved Epidiolex; an anti-seizure treatment, it’s the very first CBD-based medication the FDA has ever approved. Unlike THC — one of the other main compounds found in the cannabis plant — CBD isn’t psychoactive, so it doesn’t get you high.

However, it’s worth noting that the research on CBD’s purported benefits is limited; CBD is also, contrary to popular belief, not legal in all 50 states. Most products containing it are required to include notes in their listings to the effect of, “These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease” — which, incidentally, is the note included on the product page for Dirty Lemon’s +CBD elixir.

Some people swear by CBD’s effectiveness, though — and for those who do, Dirty Lemon’s take on the trend is an intriguing option. The +CBD elixir contains 20mg of CBD, sourced by BEBOE.

“We’ve been developing ingestible CBD products for the past two years and trust the plant as nature designed it," BEBOE co-founder Clement Kwan said in a press release. "Our plants are naturally cultivated with organic nutrients and we go to great lengths to preserve the magic of the plants intricacies in the final product.”

CBD isn't the only active ingredient in the elixir, though; there’s also L-theanine, an amino acid found in green tea which may be used for treating anxiety and high blood pressure or for preventing Alzheimer’s disease, according to WebMD. You should start to feel the effects of both the CBD and the L-theanine about 30 minutes after you drink the elixir. Oh, and apparently it tastes “tropical”; the flavor takes its cues from the “pineapple express” marijuana strain, which lends the drink a “fruit-forward” flavor profile with “complementary woodsy notes,” per Dirty Lemon’s website. Just, y’know, FYI.

As of Aug. 28, +CBD has been restocked, so the question now is this: How can you get your hands on it? One of Dirty Lemon’s selling points is i unique ordering system. The company is direct-to-consumer, which, in and of itself, isn’t unusual; however, you don’t order their elixirs online or through an app. You order them via text message.

Initially, you do need to hop onto the Dirty Lemon website; once you select the elixir you want to order and hit the “Checkout” button, you’ll be brought to a page that asks you to input your phone number:

Once you do so, you’ll be sent a verification code to your phone — and after you plug that into the website, you’re asked to provide your shipping and payment information:

Once all that is set up, though, all you do to do order Dirty Lemon is text what you want to the phone number (917) 588-0604 — say, “Two cases of Matcha” or “One case of CBD.” Your card isn’t charged when you register with the site; it’s only charged when you actually place a text message order.

According to Dirty Lemon, the SMS system is intended to make ordering as easy as possible. As long as you have your phone on you, you can place an order anytime or anywhere as quickly as it takes for you to send off text message.

At $65 per case, the elixirs are all a little pricey; there are also only six bottles in a case — and the only way you can order them is by the case (no single bottles allowed). Dirty Lemon’s ordering FAQ does note that the reason the elixirs are only purchasable in this fashion is it “[ensures] the best possible shipping cost” — it's free for domestic and Canadian customers — and the “fastest possible delivery time,” but it still averages out to almost $11 a bottle. (Some of the elixirs do have a “VIP” option, which brings the price down to $45 per case; as a “recurring monthly order of at least 1 case,” though, it’s essentially a subscription. The VIP option isn’t available for the CBD elixir.) If you do have that kind of disposable income, though, hey, you do you — it’s just something worth considering before you leap on the Dirty Lemon wagon.

Dirty Lemon does ship their +CBD elixir to all 50 states, although again, since CBD isn’t legal everywhere, you might want to check your own state’s laws before you order it. Find out more about all of Dirty Lemon’s drinks here.

Readers should note that the regulations and data surrounding marijuana, CBD, and other related products are still developing. As such, the information contained in this post should not be construed as medical or legal advice. Always consult with your doctor before trying any substance or supplement.