Dedicated Feature This Boxing Coach Wants Women Of Color To Define Fitness On Their... The wellness industry has historically catered to white, affluent women — in the businesses and CEOs it champions, in the customers it caters to, and in<doc-sep>Americans are not drinking as much pop as they used to. Soda sales are falling. The thirst for fizzy sugar water is slowly abating. But damn are people excited about CBD, the medicinal component in cannabis that doesn't get you high. And Coca-Cola, the world's biggest beverage company, is taking notice. Bloomberg reports that Coca-Cola is openly interested in cracking the CBD market, and is currently in talks with a Canadian company called Aurora Cannabis Inc. about making a beverage. What that means for us is that they might start developing CBD-infused drinks. Bring on CBD Diet Coke. Coca-Cola seems to be approaching this rumored beverage from a health angle; a spokesperson confirmed interest in "the growth of non-psychoactive CBD as an ingredient in functional wellness beverages." That's big news for anyone dabbling in the CBD world to make their bodies better, whether to relieve stress and anxiety, sooth sore muscles, or test out any number of other anecdotal cures. But again, Coca-Cola's drink won't get you high. Other beverage companies are getting in on the CBD craze too, especially the booze industry. Constellation Brands, which makes Corona, Modelo, Svedka, and more, dropped $4 billion in a Canadian cannabis company in August to work on cannabis-infused drinks and other products. It was the biggest cannabis investment ever made. Lagunitas Brewing makes a sparkling water with either CBD or THC (the cannabis compound that does get you high), whichever you're feeling. And other massive beverage companies like Molson Coors Brewing Co. and Diageo are in talks with cannabis companies as well. This content is imported from {embed-name}. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. There's even a Canadian company using the cannabis plant to make a non-alcoholic beer with THC (instead of infusing the cannabis into an already-brewed beer). Its makers claim it hits harder than an edible. All this progress is possible in Canada, where recreational marijuana will be legal next month. In the States, it's a bigger challenge. Much of the CBD used in supplements, oils, and pills here is extracted from industrial hemp plants, a type of cannabis plant without THC. Individual states can decide its legality. But the DEA still has CBD labeled as a Schedule 1 controlled substance. Moral of the story: It's confusing as hell. But when huge American companies take an interest in CBD, that means the tide is changing. And that we might get CBD in our Sprite before the decade is over. Sarah Rense Sarah Rense is the Lifestyle Editor at Esquire, where she covers tech, food, drinks, home, and more. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io<doc-sep>According to Bloomberg, Coca Cola is looking to tap into the ever-growing weed industry. The company confirmed its interest in CBD (the non-psychoactive component of marijuana that treats pain) in a statement on Monday. They are "closely watching" the growth of the CBD market, they said, as "the space is evolving quickly. No decisions have been made at this time." Per Bloomberg, the company has gone so far as to enter talks with Canadian marijuana giant Aurora Cannabis. At first, neither party would confirm the reported discussions, though Aurora released a statement on Tuesday saying: The Company does confirm that it engages in exploratory discussions with industry participants from time to time. At this time the Company confirms there is no agreement, understanding or arrangement with respect to any partnership with a beverage company. Coke would be far from the first to manufacture a CBD drink, should these alleged talks become a reality, though they'd certainly be one of the largest companies to do so. According to Business Insider, marijuana sales could soon eclipse soda sales. Should weed be made legal anytime soon, it likely would become a $75+ million industry (and it's not far from there right now as is). Soda sales dropped to about $76.4 million last year. Tess Koman Digital Director Tess Koman covers breaking (food) news, opinion pieces, and features on larger happenings in the food world. This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io<doc-sep>
Soft drink titan Coca-Cola is "closely watching" the market for drinks infused with cannabidiol, or CBD, the chemical in marijuana believed to relieve pain and anxiety. Noting the space for cannabidiol-based drinks is "evolving quickly," the company stressed that the ingredient doesn't produce the high that comes from another cannabis-derived chemical known as THC. "Along with many others in the beverage industry, we are closely watching the growth of non-psychoactive CBD as an ingredient in functional wellness beverages around the world," Coca-Cola said Monday in a statement. "The space is evolving quickly. No decisions have been made at this time.” The statement followed a report that Coca-Cola was allegedly in "serious talks" to develop cannabis-related beverages with Canada's Aurora Cannabis. That report, published by BNN Bloomberg, cited "multiple sources familiar with the matter" but was not denied in statements by both companies. Aurora, a cannabis producer, wants to enter the infused beverage industry but does "not discuss business development initiatives until they are finalized," spokeswoman Heather MacGregor told the business network. More:Coors maker readies sales of marijuana-infused drinks More:Blue Moon's brewer launching marijuana-infused 'beer' Coca-Cola test-launched an alcoholic drink in Japan earlier this year. A move into cannabis-derived beverages would offer another option for the company as health-conscious consumers move away from sugary sodas. Coca-Cola's desire to explore CBD for a "functional wellness beverage" could result in a drink that eases inflammation, cramping or other pains, BNN Bloomberg reported. The extract is already found in alternative medicines and supplements, with anecdotal evidence that it relieves anxiety, headaches and arthritis. The Food and Drug Administration approved its use to treat epilepsy earlier this year. In the alcohol industry, the companies behind Coors and Blue Moon have both launched marijuana-related drinks. Molson Coors, the maker of Coors beer, also worked with a Canadian cannabis company to produce its infused products. Follow Josh Hafner on Twitter: @joshhafner