Carl’s Jr. Unveils CBD-Infused Burger Called ‘Rocky Mountain High’
For some strange reason, April 20th seems to be a big day for people who like to smoke marijuana. With the once verboten practice of toking the devil’s lettuce now fully legal in 10 U.S. states, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that fast food chains (who have certainly benefited from legalization) would want to offer up something special for the hazy holiday.
That’s why the (stoned?) geniuses at Carl’s Jr. have plans to introduce an ultra-limited burger that incorporates CBD, the trendy weed-adjacent food additive. On April 20th, 2019, they’ll unveil a burger they’ve dubbed “Rocky Mountain High: CheeseBurger Delight” at one Carl’s Jr. location in Denver. The burger will feature two charbroiled beef patties, pickled jalapeños, pepperjack cheese, and crisscut fries. That’ll be slathered in a healthy serving of Carl’s Jr.’s signature Sante Fe sauce that’s been infused with CBD.
The “CheeseBurger Delight” comes at a time when CBD’s popularity has exploded. Shorthand for Cannabidiol, it’s a non-psychoactive ingredient found in cannabis and hemp touted as a natural remedy for everything from anxiety to aches and pains. Its efficacy hasn’t been proven in a clinical setting, but that hasn’t stopped CBD from showing up in everything from lattes to olive oil to beer, and practically any other food or drink imaginable. The burger, however, seems to be uncharted territory.
That’s at least partly because it’s unclear if Rocky Mountain High: CheeseBurger Delight would be legal should it go nationwide. Though there’s theoretically less of a concern about the feds cracking down on CBD (which, unlike THC, isn’t psychoactive) in states where adults can legally purchase marijuana, some regulators elsewhere have had a hard time swallowing its presence in foods and drinks. For example, New York City’s health department said it would begin cracking down on establishments offering CBD-infused products, forcing eight restaurants to stop serving CBD-infused foods or drinks as of February 2019.
Still, there’s a belief that the Farm Bill recently signed by President Trump could clear the way for legalization of CBD derived from hemp. According to CNN, the FDA says it will aim to develop a concrete regulatory policy about CBD in food going forward, with a public hearing on the subject scheduled for the end of May. In the meantime, you probably won’t get arrested if you buy a Rocky Mountain High burger with CBD-infused sauce from that one Carl’s Jr. in Denver on 4/20 for, you guessed it, $4.20.
