Carl’s Jr. is about to make cannabis history. And what better day to do something groundbreaking than 4/20, the de facto holiday for all things cannabis?
This Saturday, the fast food chain will introduce a brand new CBD burger. It will be the first time that a major fast food chain has ever done anything involving cannabis. And if things go well, it could become a regular menu item.
Get Ready for a Weed Burger This 4/20
Carl’s Jr. just announced its upcoming Rocky Mountain High: CheeseBurger Delight.
The burger is reported to include two beef patties topped with pickled jalapeños and pepper jack cheese. But the real kicker is the special sauce.
A never before seen CBD-infused Santa Fe Sauce will top off the entire cannabinoid-infused burger.
The sandwich is reportedly going to be priced at $4.20.
Because the sauce will only include CBD, and not THC, eating this burger will not actually get you high.
But it could be enough CBD to provide the smooth and easy therapeutic benefits of THC’s sister cannabinoid.
The new burger is slated for a 4/20-themed debut this Saturday. And for now, it will only be available at the Carl’s Jr. restaurant located at 4050 Colorado Blvd. in Denver, Colorado.
The CBD burger will go on sale this Saturday starting at 6 a.m. The Denver location will serve the burger for as long as supplies last.
So if you’re celebrating 4/20 this year in the Denver area, be sure you get in line early for your CBD burger.
CBD Burger Could Become Regular Menu Item
Importantly, this Saturday’s limited sale of the Rocky Mountain High burger is not just a publicity stunt targeting cannabis consumers.
It is also a market test. As Business Insider reported, Carl’s Jr. will be monitoring very closely how well the burger sells. The company will also reportedly try to gauge customer response to the burger.
If things go well, and the company likes the results, Carl’s Jr. might roll out the CBD burger to more locations around the country.
Navigating Cannabis Laws
Of course, the tricky part of this is going to be the legal aspects of selling a cannabis-based product.
Fortunately, CBD products tend to be much easier to get onto the market than products with THC.
In general, as long as products do not contain THC, and as long as CBD is derived from hemp plants without any THC, companies can sell CBD-infused goods.
This is even easier now, in the wake of the new Farm Bill. Late last year, Donal Trump signed the 2018 Farm Bill into law.
Among many other changes, this bill implemented far-reaching provisions regarding hemp production in the U.S.
In particular, the bill makes potentially big changes to some aspects of federal law. These changes include:
- Categorizing hemp as a supplemental and alternative crop. This designation could make it easier for farmers to access subsidies and other forms of support, thereby encouraging the production of hemp.
- Allowing for federal-level hemp research.
- Permitting interstate commerce involving hemp. This also means that people can travel more freely with CBD products derived from hemp.
- Changing the Controlled Substances Act so that it no longer includes hemp on the list of Schedule I drugs.
In any case, there is still a long road ahead before every Carl’s Jr. in the country sells CBD burgers. But whatever happens, it all starts this weekend in Denver.
