The cannabis- and hemp-free beverage shot is designed to keep you enjoying weed stress-free.
Nothing ruins a good session faster than anxiety. Going from exceptional vibes with friends one moment to being a paranoid ball of nerves the next is a terrible time. It leads some people to avoid cannabis altogether.
Enter Anti-Toke, a new product aimed at letting you enjoy getting high without the dreaded paranoia or anxiety that affects some people. If weed usually makes you anxious, or if you’re worried about a potentially negative response, this fast-acting remedy could be the answer to help keep you grounded while you’re flying high.
Anti-Toke is a 2-ounce cola-flavored beverage—think of the energy boosters you see near the register—formulated to work quickly. It can be taken either as a preventative measure before consuming cannabis or reactively once signs of anxiety begin to appear.
Ready-to-drink Anti-Toke is designed to restore good vibes and rescue sessions. The THC- and CBD-free shot won’t sober you up or pump you full of caffeine to counteract the effects of cannabis. It’s just intended for you to enjoy your weed to the fullest without anxiety.
The good folks over at Anti-Toke gave our team some samples to test, and we’re itching to tell you what we experienced. But first, let’s take a look under the hood of Anti-Toke and see how it might help soothe the worst of your cannabis-related anxiety.
A panacea for panic?
Anti-Toke is the brainchild of founder and inventor John Smerek, whose passion animates the company. As a caregiver in the medical cannabis industry for a decade, John noticed a common thread among his patients. While several patients used cannabis to relieve anxiety, others had anxiety effects triggered by the plant.
John firmly believes in the medicinal powers of cannabis and hoped to expand its benefits to those who might avoid it for fear of cannabis-induced anxiety. He developed drug- and caffeine-free Anti-Toke to help those suffering from anxiety enjoy the medicinal and recreational benefits of cannabis without any prohibitive emotional distress.
“I was excited by our results right from the beginning,” said John. “When I started sharing Anti-Toke with [cannabis consumers] and hearing how it helped calm them and make their sessions more enjoyable, I knew I was on to something pretty special.”
So, how does John’s creation work? Let’s talk about what happens in your body when you get high. Cannabis affects the body’s endocannabinoid system, which helps keep the body in balance and maintain homeostasis. When you enjoy cannabis, you’re sending messages to this system, leading to all the wonderful feelings we know and love.
Inside the endocannabinoid system are two major receptors, CB1 and CB2. THC binds with CB1 receptors producing the “high” weed is famous for, while other cannabis compounds, like CBD and terpenes, influence receptor activity without binding. Overstimulating receptors in the brain with THC may sometimes lead to unwanted effects like anxiety, stress, and paranoia.
“…I knew I was on to something pretty special.” -John Smerek
The hypothesis behind Anti-Toke is that this misalignment of the receptors in our endocannabinoid system is the cause of the cannabis-induced anxiety that some people experience when they get high. Anti-Toke uses a proprietary blend of naturally occurring ingredients to help restore balance and soothe this anxiety.
Terpenes, functional amino acids, nootropics, vitamins, and minerals were selected to raise the level of CB2 interaction to bring it back into alignment with the CB1 receptor. This dream team of ingredients interacts with the brain, the central nervous system, and other aspects of the endocannabinoid system simultaneously. The intention is to reduce anxiety quickly if taken during an anxious episode or prevent anxiety from occurring in the first place if taken before a session begins.
Anti-Toke in your pocket
As you might have guessed, this Leafly writing team has a pretty positive relationship with cannabis. But that doesn’t mean every session is free from moments of cannabis-induced anxiety. That’s why we were stoked to try Anti-Toke and test out a new, potential on-hand remedy for anxious moments.
Thanks to Anti-Toke, she’s been able to enjoy cannabis with her friends for the first time in 20 years.
The shot has a tasty cola flavor and went down smooth—no spoonful of sugar required. We can happily report that our team experienced no symptoms of anxiety or paranoia after consuming Anti-Toke fifteen minutes before a session. Even after a full bowl of high-THC Durban Poison and a particularly panic-inducing horror movie, our writers were chilled out and anxiety-free. Importantly, we did still feel high—in this particular test, quite high, in fact. That’s because Anti-Toke doesn’t counteract your bud’s intoxicating effect.
It isn’t just us. There are dozens of testimonials about how Anti-Toke did the trick for cannabis consumers. One woman whom John met on the convention circuit came back to personally tell him that, thanks to Anti-Toke, she’s been able to enjoy cannabis with her friends for the first time in 20 years.
That’s the heart of Anti-Toke, a cannabis companion meant to allow more people to consume and share the plant stress-free—medicinally or recreationally. Having it handy might be just the peace of mind you need to enjoy weed how you want.
You can try Anti-Toke for yourself for just $3.99. Anti-Toke is THC- and CBD-free, meaning it’s legal in all 50 states and Canada. You can also stock up with six and twelve-packs to make sure you’re prepared for a while or ready for a gathering of friends.
To learn more about Anti-Toke or their new non-cannabis-specific product, Lotus, follow them on Facebook or Instagram. You can also find more details about Anti-Toke’s formula and check out testimonials on their website.
