Canna Cola was a line of THC-infused sodas announced in January 2011 by Clay Butler, a commercial artist from Soquel, California, who planned to sell them through medical marijuana dispensaries starting in Colorado. The brand, with spinoffs like Doc Weed and Grape Ape, made national news as a “pot soda,” and it previewed the fights over packaging, potency and kids that still shape cannabis drinks today.
What Happened
The Santa Cruz Sentinel first reported Butler’s plans, and the Associated Press spread the story nationally on January 24, 2011. Butler, who told reporters he did not use drugs himself, was betting on branding. The planned lineup:
- Canna Cola, the flagship cola
- Doc Weed, a Dr. Pepper-style soda
- Sour Diesel, lemon-lime
- Grape Ape, grape
- Orange Kush, orange
Each 12-ounce bottle was expected to cost $10 to $15. Reported potency ranged from 35 to 65 milligrams of THC per bottle; one ABC7 report put the cola at 37 mg with an “Adults Only” label, and said Butler might lower the dose. Colorado, with its large medical dispensary system, was the first target, with California and Arizona to follow. Because marijuana was illegal under federal law, the drinks could only be made and sold inside states with medical marijuana laws.
Why It Mattered
Canna Cola was not the first cannabis drink. ABC7 noted that Dixie Elixirs was already on Colorado shelves and that Big Shirley’s Sodas were sold at collectives in Fresno County. What made Canna Cola a story was its packaging: soda-style labels and names that echoed mainstream brands, arriving just as federal regulators were cracking down on Four Loko, the caffeinated alcohol drink.
The criticism was immediate. Senator Dianne Feinstein was pushing a bill, nicknamed the “Brownie Law,” aimed at stopping sellers from making illegal drugs more appealing to young people with candy flavors and colorful packaging. Even NORML’s Allen St. Pierre urged clearly marked, hard-to-open packaging. Butler answered that the drinks were dispensary-only, so children would not have access.
What Happened Next
Later reporting on whether Canna Cola reached dispensary shelves in volume is thin. We found no reliable coverage confirming sustained sales or documenting when the line ended, so its commercial fate is undocumented.
The category it advertised, however, took off. After Colorado and Washington legalized adult use in 2012, state regulators set the rules that Canna Cola’s critics had asked for: standardized servings, child-resistant packaging and limits on youth-appealing branding. Many legal states now treat 10 mg of THC as a single serving and cap packages at 100 mg, far below a 37 to 65 mg bottle meant to be drunk at once.
The next boom came outside dispensaries. From the early 2020s, hemp-derived THC seltzers and sodas spread to liquor stores and supermarkets under the 2018 Farm Bill’s hemp rules.
Where It Stands in 2026
That hemp loophole is closing. A federal law signed November 12, 2025 (H.R. 5371) redefines hemp using total THC and caps finished hemp products at 0.4 mg of total THC per container, which effectively ends hemp THC drinks as sold today. Restrictions on synthesized cannabinoids take effect November 12, 2026, and a later law delayed the rules for naturally occurring cannabinoids to December 11, 2026. Inside state-licensed cannabis markets, THC drinks remain legal where adult use is legal. See our guides to federal marijuana law, the U.S. hemp industry and the 2026 ban, and how much THC to take.
Canna Cola FAQ
What was Canna Cola?
A planned line of THC-infused sodas from California entrepreneur Clay Butler, announced in January 2011 for sale in medical marijuana dispensaries.
How much THC was in Canna Cola?
Reports put it at 35 to 65 mg per 12-ounce bottle; one report said the cola had 37 mg. Today many states treat 10 mg as one serving.
Can you still buy Canna Cola?
We found no evidence the brand is sold today. Its fate after the 2011 launch plans is not well documented.
Are THC drinks legal in 2026?
Yes, from licensed stores in adult-use states. Hemp-derived THC drinks sold elsewhere face a federal cap of 0.4 mg total THC per container starting in late 2026.
Originally reported by The Weed Street Journal; rewritten and updated in October 2026 with what happened next.
