Hemp Beverages Offer Fort Myers Consumers a New Way to Unwind
Fort Myers’ beverage scene is quietly shifting. Alongside craft coffee, mocktails, and functional tonics, hemp-derived drinks—ranging from CBD-infused coffees to low-dose “THC” seltzers sold under hemp rules—are gaining shelf space and menu placements across Southwest Florida. For many locals, the appeal is straightforward: a sip-friendly alternative to smoking or traditional edibles, and for some, a new way to socialize without alcohol.
Several Fort Myers businesses are leaning into the format. Seed & Bean Market promotes “CBD-infused drinks” as part of its café identity, positioning hemp wellness as an everyday add-on to coffee runs and remote-work afternoons. Hemp-focused retailers are moving in the same direction. Hemp Joi, a Fort Myers hemp and CBD shop, lists beverages among its product categories—an indicator that infused drinks are no longer a novelty item but a regular part of the local hemp retail mix.
Kava and botanical bars are another on-ramp for cannabis alternatives. Kapua Kava Bar’s Fort Myers menu highlights optional “enhancements,” including CBD (listed by milligrams) and Delta-8 add-ins that can be blended into drinks. Kava Culture’s Fort Myers Beach location similarly advertises CBD drinks alongside kava and other elixirs, reinforcing the idea that “cannabis alternatives” often mean a broader non-alcohol ritual—not strictly THC.
Legally, these beverages exist in a different lane than Florida’s medical marijuana products. Florida statute defines “hemp” as cannabis that does not exceed 0.3% delta-9 THC on a dry-weight basis, while “hemp extract” intended for ingestion is capped at 0.3% total delta-9 THC on a wet-weight basis, and the law outlines requirements tied to documentation (such as certificates of analysis) and packaging standards. That framework helps explain why consumers may see hemp beverages in general retail environments while medical marijuana remains limited to registered patients and licensed dispensaries.
At the same time, the rules around intoxicating hemp products—especially “THC-infused beverages”—have become a policy focus. A Florida Senate bill analysis for CS/SB 438 (2025) describes proposed changes aimed specifically at THC-infused beverages, including per-container THC limits, distribution requirements tied to beverage-law distributors, and restrictions that would place retail sales only at premises licensed to sell alcoholic beverages. The document also describes tightened testing expectations for hemp products more broadly. Nationally, Reuters has reported a wider wave of state-by-state crackdowns and renewed federal attention to intoxicating hemp derivatives in the wake of the 2018 Farm Bill marketplace.
For Fort Myers shoppers, the practical takeaway is to buy informed. Reputable hemp beverages should list cannabinoid amounts per serving, provide batch-specific lab results, and use packaging that aligns with Florida’s safety and labeling expectations. Effects can vary widely by formulation and individual tolerance, and beverages can be easy to consume quickly—so “start low and go slow” remains the safest approach. Anyone who is pregnant, takes medications, or has significant medical conditions should talk with a clinician before trying hemp cannabinoids.
For now, Fort Myers is a snapshot of a broader consumer shift: cannabis-adjacent beverages moving from niche to neighborhood, driven by wellness curiosity, alcohol alternatives, and the convenience of a drinkable format.