A new cannabis product promising to make it easier to turn anything into an edible is now available at Iowa dispensaries for Iowans who hold medical marijuana cards.
Bud & Mary's, one of Iowa's two state-licensed medical cannabis manufacturers, released 'TheMyx.' It is the first patented tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) water-soluble powder designed to dissolve into any beverage or food without altering the taste or texture.
"Other people make powdered cannabinoids — they're more dissolvable, and a lot of them aren't necessarily even water-soluble, and they'll actually decarbonate a carbonated drink as an example," said Dr. Duncan Mackie, director of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics at Bud & Mary’s. "TheMyx does not do that. It self-emulsifies, so it literally goes into everything, water-based or oil-based."
THC is the psychoactive ingredient in cannabis that gives you a “high” feeling when consumed. The powder is a mixture of THC and a patented mix of emulsifiers absorbed into a specially engineered silica base, Mackie said. Emulsifiers are compounds that help mix substances that typically don’t blend well, such as oil, water, and in this case, THC, according to WebMD.
"The [silica base] is the carrier of the emulsifiers and the THC, and then that allows us to create a water-soluble flowing powder," he said.
Finally, the powder is mixed with sugar-free sweeteners like erythritol so people who are diabetic can take it and won't have a sugar spike. TheMyx is also vegan and gluten-free and is sold in Iowa starting at $24.99 per container, with each container consisting of ten individual 10-milligram dose packages.
Bud & Mary's takes pharmaceutical approach to developing TheMyx
The complex formula and engineering of TheMyx is part of Bud & Mary's pharmaceutical way of thinking when it comes to manufacturing its products. TheMyx was initially developed as a "delivery mechanism" for the FDA's Investigational New Drug application, Mackie said.
The complexity is also why the company has been granted patents in the U.S. and worldwide for TheMyx and its technology.
"[The patents] are just in case we want to expand other markets across the globe, and it doesn't have to be for THC," he said.
Working with the FDA in the past has taught Mackie about the importance of consistent dosing, and he said that plays into the creation of Bud & Mary's products.
"If you take Tylenol on Monday, and you take it again on a Tuesday, the Tylenol should operate the same way [on both days], and we feel the same about TheMyx," he said.
TheMyx delivers consistent THC dosing for edibles or drinks
The consistency of the "high" is also what separates TheMyx from other edibles you can purchase from dispensaries, Mackie said.
"There are a lot of factors that play into traditional edibles: time of day matters, and what you eat before consuming your edibles matters," he said. "TheMyx was designed so that the carrier and the emulsified effect are consistent from dose to dose and day to day."
TheMyx works on all types of food and beverages, including water, coffee, smoothies and even alcohol, even though the company advises on the packaging that it's not intended to be used with alcohol.
"You can also cook with it," he said. "TheMyx was quite engineered to be flexible in its uses."
Even though marijuana is often associated with smoking, Mackie said users should not try to smoke TheMyx, as it can lead to respiratory diseases like silicosis.
Mackie said one of the benefits of TheMyx and other alternative THC products is that they provide a different avenue for people to experience cannabis without having to smoke or vape.
"I think having access to alternative routes, more than anything, is super important," he said. "A lot of people want to be able to take it in a safe way that's predictable, and that's really, I think, what we're providing with this iteration of TheMyx."
Where you can purchase TheMyx
Iowans with medical marijuana cards can find TheMyx at one of the state's five dispensaries.
Is recreational marijuana legal in Iowa?
While the state's Medical Cannabis Program launched in 2018 and allows Iowans with a qualifying disease to purchase eligible medical marijuana products, recreational use remains illegal in the state.
Under current law in Iowa, possession of any amount of marijuana is a misdemeanor crime. A first offense could result in up to six months in jail or a fine of up to $1,000. Selling any amount of marijuana is a felony in Iowa.
