Does kanna get you high? It's one of the questions we get asked most.
The short answer is no. Kanna isn't intoxicating, and our kanna products contain no THC.
Here's what kanna is, why it isn't a high, and how to try it for the first time.
Table of contents
- What is kanna?
- Why isn't kanna a high?
- What about kava?
- How do you try kanna for the first time?
- How do you try kava for the first time?
- Where should you start?
What is kanna?
Kanna (Sceletium tortuosum) is a succulent native to South Africa's Karoo region.
The San and Khoikhoi peoples chewed and brewed it for thousands of years, often to warm up a gathering.
It isn't a cannabinoid, and it isn't related to hemp or cannabis. For the full history of both plants, read What Is Kanna and Kava?
Why isn't kanna a high?
Kanna isn't intoxicating, and our kanna products contain no THC. It's a succulent, not a cannabinoid. The kanna extract in our beverages is Zembrin, which has been studied in published clinical research. In a small placebo-controlled trial of 21 healthy adults, 25mg a day for three weeks improved cognitive set flexibility and executive function (Chiu et al., 2014).
The Mango Brighter Mood Gummy promotes a balanced mood† without the high, and many people take it in the daytime. Each gummy carries 10mg of kanna, 100mg of L-theanine, 5mg of B6 and 100mcg of B12.
The Pink Grapefruit Uplift Spritz and Lychee Blood Orange Uplift Spritz lead with kanna too. Each 12oz can carries 50mg of kanna, 20mg of kavalactones and 90mg of L-theanine, with no alcohol and no THC.
What about kava?
People ask the same thing about kava, and the answer runs the same way.
Kava isn't intoxicating the way THC is, and our kava products contain no THC either.
Kava is the root of a South Pacific shrub, shared as a drink across Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga, Samoa and Hawaii for more than 3,000 years. The Wild Strawberry Deep Delight Gummy helps support relaxation.† Each gummy carries 25mg of noble kava root extract, standardized to 97% kavalactones.
Try your first one on an easy afternoon and see how it sits with you.
How do you try kanna for the first time?
A first time goes best when you keep it simple.
- Start with one gummy, and save the second for another day.
- Give it time. Most people notice kanna within 15 to 30 minutes, so wait that long before you decide anything.
- Pick a daytime moment. Kanna fits mid-afternoon, before a social plan, or when the day needs a hand up.
- Notice how it sits with you. Then decide whether it earns a place in your week.
If you'd rather drink it, crack a Pink Grapefruit Uplift Spritz or a Lychee Blood Orange Uplift Spritz instead. It's the same plant in a can, made for the moments when you want something in your hand. Our kanna and kava mocktail recipes all start with one can.
How do you try kava for the first time?
- Start with one gummy. If you want more, add one at a time and stay within the serving on the label.
- Give it time. Most people notice kava within 15 to 30 minutes, so wait that long before you decide anything.
- Pick a slow-down moment. Kava fits the end of the workday, before dinner, or a slow weekend afternoon.
- Expect a quiet first try. Kava follows what's called a reverse tolerance curve, so a first session can feel subtle and come through more clearly over the next few.
- Notice how it sits with you. Then decide where it belongs in your week.
If you'd rather drink it, crack a Blackberry Zinger Unwind Soda instead. It's the kava-forward can in the lineup, made for the end of the day. The Unwind Soda is the stronger serving of kava, with 100mg of kavalactones, about what four Deep Delight gummies carry.
Where should you start?
The Kanna & Kava Sample Pack carries one Pink Grapefruit Uplift Spritz, one Blackberry Zinger Unwind Soda, and two of each gummy. It's the easiest way to try kanna and kava side by side before you buy a full pack.
The whole lineup lives in our kanna and kava collection. For a full day mapped out hour by hour, read Need a Lift or a Landing?
Two more questions we hear often:
- Kanna and Kava vs. CBD explains how these plants differ from the CBD you might already know.
- When to Take Kanna or Kava covers daytime or evening, gummy or can, and how long to wait.
Still have a question a blog post can't answer? Book a free consultation with our education team.
†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.
