No one tell my parents but as a longtime proponent of the mind calming, rest inducing, achey muscle soothing, anxiety easing, all-around-good-time promoting, healing properties of weed, I’ve been pretty excited about CBD’s recent rise to mainstream popularity, especially in food and drinks. (Even if it’s not the legalized marijuana I’d really like.)

As a very brief, very basic explanation for anyone who might not already know: the two main chemical compounds in pot are THC, the stuff that makes you goofy and giggly and weird, and CBD, the stuff with the medical benefits for people dealing with anxiety, sleep problems, pain, and nausea amongst other things.

I mean, I feel better just looking at this tasty drink.

So again, for the people in the back: products containing only CBD will not get you high and are completely legal,  even in states like NY where weed’s illegal. Hear that mom and dad? (Just kidding, my parents don’t read this. And if they did, my mother would be lighting a candle for my soul while my dad would say this is why I’m unmarried in my 30s. But we’ll save all of that for another time and perhaps a therapist…)

A delicious way to calmly ease into the day.

CBD products seem to be everywhere these days. They’re at health food stores, vitamin shops, yoga studios, even the place I go to for acupuncture. While they’re mostly capsules and oils, I’m starting to see more fun stuff too: chocolates, gummies, lattes, baked goods  and my favorite so far, a damn near perfect drink at my favorite juice shop, the one conveniently located around the corner from my apartment, Grass Roots Juicery.

I went in recently, looking for a cold drink to make the sweaty and cramped subway ride to work less awful, when I saw a sign on the door advertising a strawberry-mint CBD elixir. I’ll be honest: call anything an elixir and you have my attention. Elixirs sound like magical, delicious potions, and this one was exactly that.

Made with crushed ice (which I love), cold-pressed strawberries, coconut milk, rosewater, fresh mint, and 10mg of Lily CBD oil, this elixir was exactly what I needed that morning. Sweet and just slightly milky with a colorful, tart burst of strawberries and bright, refreshing mint, I could have drank a pitcher of this. Maybe it was the flavors, maybe it was the CBD, maybe (ahem, no definitely) it was both, but by the time I got to work I was cooled off, refreshed, relaxed and in a better mood than most days.

As someone with constant running-related aches and pains who is also dealing with the stress and anxiety of living in not only a crazy city but also through a completely bonkers time in history, CBD products have my full support. And if they also happen to come in tasty snacks and delicious drinks like strawberry-mint elixirs, I say keep ’em coming.