Tucked between the wine room and cash register at John’s Grocery in the north side neighborhood, shoppers congregate at a lone cooler, peering inside, but what they are looking at isn’t top-shelf whiskey or beer; they are in search of THC-infused drinks, from sparkling waters to cocktail-inspired flavors.

These unusual beverages have become top sellers for John’s Grocery, one of the city’s oldest businesses.

More: High on hemp? Why Iowa’s medical marijuana laws may increase edible THC use

Is it legal to get high?

The Agricultural Improvement Act of 2018, commonly known as the 2018 Farm Bill, is a piece of legislation that addresses various aspects of agriculture, including hemp production. For Iowans across the state, the Farm Bill has made hemp-derived THC readily available in the form of delta-8 and delta-9 THC, or tetrahydrocannabinol, the primary psychoactive ingredient that gives people a high. Recreational pot remains illegal and medical marijuana is strictly regulated.

Delta-8 and delta-9 THC have similar psychoactive properties that give individuals a high associated with cannabis use. Delta-8 is typically less potent than delta-9, however.

The loosened restriction on THC levels has led to a boom for retailers across the state. John’s Grocery, a leading alcohol retailer in Iowa City, has been selling THC drinks for years but witnessed a shift during the last quarter of 2023, according to general manager Chris Moore.

“We saw just this weird swing and people’s habits during the pandemic, and since then, we’ve seen people’s habits switch 180 degrees a few times,” Moore said. “People seem to be somewhat focused on being health conscious, which is weird working at a store where pretty much always sells alcohol is where to see people come in and try to find ways to, I don’t know, take the edge off but not ruin their bodies.”

Iowa law says THC levels in products for sale must be 0.3% or less to be legal, which allows stores to sell gummies, drinks, tablets, lotions, tinctures, and other products with psychoactive properties but bans products that can be inhaled such as vape or smokable flower.

More: Is ReUnion Brewery’s THC-infused seltzer the start of a new trend in Johnson County?

John’s Grocery sells items from Climbing Kites out of Des Moines to WLDWTR and Green Canvas, three of the most top-selling THC waters on the market, all three entirely legal and producing a psychoactive effect.

“These are actually marketed to be something you can drink a whole can of and get like a small buzz,” Moore said. “Think of a 10-milligram drink as two to four beers.”

He believes the market is just warming up to THC products and expects the boom to explode in the next year or so, producing a variety of options as well.

“I think over the next 12 months, we’ll see every iteration of what these products could be,” said Moore.

More: Family-owned John’s Grocery toasts to 75 years in Iowa City and looks to the future

Vendors set age limits

Vague language within federal and state law has allowed stores to gain a foothold and set their own age requirements for purchasing hemp-derived THC products. People must be 21 or older at John’s, but the 2018 Farm Bill did not set a minimum age limit, allowing establishments to decide whether to enforce one.

The Senate voted to pass a House bill in November to extend the 2018 Farm Bill through September, continuing sales in Iowa. The extension may arrive with a few amendments, but those have yet to be announced.

“We, as John’s Grocery, require that people are 21, but they didn’t put an age restriction with law, so there’s no age restriction currently in Iowa,” Moore said. “I think that they will 100% revisit the bill this year and make the tweaks that they need to make the law make sense to everyone.”

Until the bill is revised, John’s Grocery plans to continue to sell the products in what has become a lucrative interest. The store generates more than $1,000 a day in THC sales, an unprecedented success that arrived seemingly overnight.

“We haven’t done anything to try to grow it. It’s happened all organically. People just come in and try it, or they try it in other places that are told to come to check it out here,” Moore said.

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Where to buy hemp-derived THC drinks and edibles

John’s Grocery is just one of the many places in the Iowa City area where people can find hemp-derived THC drinks and edibles. There are several other liquor stores and smoke shops that sell the products.

Moore encourages customers to make their own informed decisions and ask employees questions before purchasing hemp-derived THC products.

Editor’s Note: Legal THC products produce varying intoxicating effects and should not be ingested without prior knowledge and consideration.

The Press-Citizen has compiled a list of where one can dabble in the world of hemp and cannabis:

ReUnion Brewery, Coralville and Iowa City

ReUnion is releasing Johnson County’s first locally made THC seltzer on Friday, Jan. 26. It’s called Jungle Vibez and offers 10mg of hemp-derived THC infused with flavors of orange, pineapple, and banana.

Johncy’s Liquor Store,Suite E, 585 Hwy 965 South, North Liberty

Iowa Smoke Time & Vapor Shop, 220 E Washington St., Iowa City

Smokin’ Joe’s, 465 Hwy 965 G, North Liberty

Bootleggin’ Barzini’s, 412 1st Ave., Coralville

Up in Smoke, 208 N Linn St., Iowa City

The Konnexion, 106 S Linn St., Iowa City

Jessica Rish is an entertainment, dining and business reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. She can be reached at JRish@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @rishjessica_