LoDo vs Cann vs Nowadays: Which THC Drink Is Worth It in 2026?

If you've spent any time in the hemp-derived THC drinks aisle in 2026, you've probably narrowed it down to three names: Cann, Nowadays, and LoDo. They're the loudest brands in the category, they all show up in articles, and they all have credible products. But they're aimed at three completely different drinkers.

This is an honest, head-to-head comparison of all three. Full disclosure: we make LoDo. We've tried to be fair about where each brand wins, and we've laid out the criteria so you can decide for yourself.

Quick verdict

  • Pick Cann if you want a microdose seltzer that drinks like a light beer at a barbecue. Lowest dose per serving, most "sessionable."
  • Pick Nowadays if presentation matters as much as the buzz. Premium spirit-style bottle, gift-worthy aesthetic, mid-range dose.
  • Pick LoDo if you want the same hemp-derived Delta-9 THC at roughly half the price, with a wider product range — shots, spirits, and high-dose cans. Best for value-driven buyers and experienced users.

One of our actual customers put it bluntly in a verified Judge.me review: "Compared to Nowadays at half the price, it kicks ass." That's the LoDo pitch in a sentence.

The three brands at a glance

A simplified comparison. Always check current product specs on each brand's site — doses and prices change.

  • Cann: Microdose THC seltzers (typically 2mg THC + 4mg CBD per 8oz can). Founded 2018. Premium positioning, designed for replacing a beer.
  • Nowadays: Spirit-style hemp-derived THC. Premium 750ml bottles plus 1.5oz shots. Doses range 2.5–6mg per serving. Top-tier presentation, gift-worthy.
  • LoDo: Full lineup — 10mg single-serve shots, 750ml THC spirits with 5–10mg per serving, and 25mg/55mg high-dose cans. Roughly half the price-per-mg of the premium tier.

Cann: best for the microdose, social-drinking crowd

Cann basically built the modern hemp-derived seltzer category. The brand's signature product is an 8-ounce can with 2mg of THC and 4mg of CBD — deliberately lower than most competitors so you can drink two or three across an evening without losing the plot. The flavor lineup is genuinely good (grapefruit rosemary is the standout), and the cans are designed to look at home in a cooler at a backyard barbecue.

Pros: Excellent flavor, microdose-friendly, broad retail availability, founder-investor pedigree (Adam Levine, Rebel Wilson, etc.).

Cons: Premium pricing per milligram. The microdose is too light if you've built any tolerance — you'll be drinking 4 cans for what one 10mg LoDo shot delivers, at significantly higher cost.

Best for: Newcomers, sober-curious folks looking to replace beer, anyone who prioritizes the social ritual over the buzz.

Nowadays: best for the premium-presentation crowd

Nowadays is the most-photographed bottle in the category. The branding is restrained and design-led, the box looks great wrapped, and the liquid itself is well-formulated. They sell both 750ml spirit-style bottles and 1.5oz shots, with doses typically in the 2.5–6mg per-serving range. If you care about how a bottle looks on a coffee table or a bar cart, Nowadays wins.

Pros: Premium presentation, well-tuned dose curve, clean flavor profile, the most credible "gift" option in the category.

Cons: Highest price-per-serving in the comparison. Limited dose range — if you've got any tolerance, you'll need multiple servings. Not as widely available in retail.

Best for: Gift purchases, dinner parties, design-forward consumers, people willing to pay a premium for aesthetics.

LoDo: best for the value, range, and tolerance crowd

LoDo's product line is the broadest of the three: 10mg single-serve shots in a 12-pack, 750ml THC spirits with 5–10mg per serving, and 25mg or 55mg high-dose cans for experienced users. Every batch is third-party lab tested, every product uses naturally derived Delta-9 from compliant hemp, and the price-per-milligram runs roughly half of the premium tier.

The brand's positioning is straightforward: same hemp-derived Delta-9 THC as the premium brands, half the price, no marketing overhead in the bottle. The Well is the unflavored 10mg spirit; the variety pack lets you try every flavor for ~$50 less than buying the bottles individually.

Pros: Best price-per-mg in the comparison. Widest product range — shots, spirits, and high-dose cans for any tolerance level. Lab-tested every batch. Backed by a taste guarantee.

Cons: Younger brand than Cann (which has been around since 2018). Not yet on every shelf nationwide — retail rollout is still expanding.

Best for: Value-conscious buyers, experienced users with built-up tolerance, anyone hosting where you need a bottle that lasts the night, people who want to try multiple formats without committing $80 to one bottle.

Head-to-head: the categories that matter

Price

Winner: LoDo. Roughly half the price-per-milligram of either Cann or Nowadays. The premium brands sell 10mg of THC for $7–10 in single-serve formats; LoDo's single-serve 10mg shots run roughly half that on a per-serving basis.

Dose flexibility

Winner: LoDo. Cann is locked into microdose territory (2mg per can). Nowadays runs 2.5–6mg per serving. LoDo's lineup spans 5mg to 55mg, so you can match the dose to the night.

Presentation / gift-worthiness

Winner: Nowadays. Hands down. The bottle is a design object. If you're buying as a gift or for a dinner party where the bottle gets seen, this is the move.

Microdose / sessionable drinking

Winner: Cann. The 2mg + 4mg CBD formula is genuinely tuned for "drink three over two hours, feel something light, never overshoot." Nobody else does microdose this well.

Format range

Winner: LoDo. Shots, spirits, and high-dose cans under one brand. Cann is mostly seltzers; Nowadays is mostly spirits and shots.

Lab testing transparency

Tie: All three publish third-party lab results (COAs). All three use hemp-derived Delta-9. All three are federally compliant under the 2018 Farm Bill.

Decision tree

If you can answer one question, you can pick the right brand:

  • I want to replace beer at a barbecue and never get too high → Cann.
  • I want to bring a bottle to a dinner party that looks great → Nowadays.
  • I want the same buzz as the premium brands at half the price → LoDo.
  • I have tolerance and 10mg per drink doesn't move the needle anymore → LoDo (high-dose cans).
  • I want to mix cocktails for a group from one bottle → Nowadays or LoDo (spirits).
  • I want to try several flavors before committing → LoDo (variety pack).

Frequently asked questions

Is LoDo really half the price of Nowadays?

Roughly, yes. On a price-per-milligram-of-THC basis, LoDo's products consistently run about 50% less than the premium tier (Nowadays, Pamos, etc.). Compare specific SKUs at current prices to verify, since prices change.

Are Cann, Nowadays, and LoDo all federally legal?

Yes, all three use hemp-derived Delta-9 THC under the 2018 Farm Bill (under 0.3% by dry weight). State laws vary — around 15 states have enacted their own restrictions. Always check your state.

Which brand has the strongest dose?

LoDo, by a clear margin. The 55mg high-dose can has roughly 27 times the dose of a single Cann seltzer (2mg) and roughly 9 times a Nowadays serving (6mg). It's labeled experts-only for that reason.

Which brand tastes best?

Subjective, but: Cann has the most flavor-forward seltzers, Nowadays has the most refined neat-drinking flavor, LoDo has the best mixability profile (tastes good neat AND in cocktails). Honestly, all three pass the bar — flavor isn't where any of them lose.

Can I mix any of these with alcohol?

Don't, especially if you're new to THC. Combining THC and alcohol amplifies effects unpredictably. If you want a social drink, pick one or the other for the night.

Where can I buy them?

Cann is in major grocery and liquor stores plus DTC. Nowadays is mostly DTC and select premium retail. LoDo is DTC plus expanding grocery and liquor retail — see the store locator.

Ready to pick yours?

If you've decided LoDo is the brand for you:

Want to compare specific options first? Read our Best THC Shots in 2026 Buyer's Guide or Best THC Spirits in 2026 Buyer's Guide.

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