MS Awareness Month cannabis beverage
We're excited to share that Today in Science recently featured 23rd State in a piece covering our founding anniversary and the message at the heart of everything we do: joy is part of wellness too.
The article, published during MS Awareness Month, highlights our founder Leah Kollross's personal journey with multiple sclerosis and the reason 23rd State exists in the first place — to create beautiful, effective cannabis beverages that give everyone access to celebration, regardless of their health journey.
Being recognized by a science-focused publication feels especially meaningful for a brand built on research-backed formulation and intentional wellness. Here's a closer look at what the coverage means, why MS Awareness Month matters to us, and where we're headed next.
You can read the full article on Today in Science here.
Why This Coverage Matters
Since launching our products in 2025, we've been fortunate to receive recognition from outlets across cannabis, beverage, wellness, and mainstream media. Each time a new publication shares our story, it reinforces something we've believed from day one: there is real demand for alcohol alternatives that don't ask you to sacrifice quality, beauty, or the feeling of being part of the moment.
Today in Science reaches an audience that values evidence-based information. For a cannabis beverage brand that has invested heavily in third-party research — including our partnership with MoreBetter on the Real-World Infused Beverage Study — this kind of coverage validates the approach we've taken from the start. We didn't just want to make another THC drink. We wanted to prove, with data, that our products deliver a better experience.
Being featured alongside conversations about multiple sclerosis awareness also underscores the deeply personal origin of our brand. This isn't a story we crafted for marketing. It's the lived reality that inspired every product in our lineup.
Leah's Story and the Founding of 23rd State
For those who are new to 23rd State, the short version is this: our founder, Leah Kollross, was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis — a chronic autoimmune disease that affects nearly one million Americans. Living with MS means navigating unpredictable symptoms, managing energy, and making constant decisions about what you put in your body.
For Leah, alcohol became something that no longer served her. But stepping away from drinking also meant stepping away from the rituals, the toasts, the sparkle of a glass raised with friends. The social and emotional dimensions of drinking are rarely acknowledged in the wellness conversation, but they matter. Feeling included matters. Having something beautiful in your hand at a dinner party matters.
That gap — between wanting to feel well and wanting to feel joy — is where 23rd State was born.
When Minnesota became the 23rd state to legalize adult-use cannabis in 2023, Leah saw the opportunity to build something that had been missing from the market: cannabis beverages designed not just for function, but for celebration. After two years of research and development, our first products hit shelves, and the response confirmed what Leah already knew. People were ready for this.
Joy Is Part of Wellness Too
The phrase at the center of the Today in Science piece — "joy is part of wellness too" — is more than a tagline. It's the philosophy that drives our product development, our branding, and our advocacy work.
The wellness industry has spent years telling people what to eliminate. Cut the sugar. Drop the alcohol. Reduce your stress. And while all of that advice has merit, it often leaves out the other side of the equation: what are you adding? What fills the space left behind when you remove something that, for all its drawbacks, also provided connection, ritual, and pleasure?
At 23rd State, we believe that a truly holistic approach to wellness includes joy. It includes gathering with people you love. It includes the clink of a glass, the shimmer of something beautiful, the taste of something crafted with care. Our products — SHAKE, FRESH PRESS, and Blush Crush — were all designed with this belief at their core.
SHAKE, the world's first infused edible glitter drops, transforms any drink into a THC + CBG experience with a signature shimmer. FRESH PRESS is a THC + CBG pear cider built for the person who wants a crisp, premium beverage without compromise. And Blush Crush Infused Bubbly brings a sparkling, wine-inspired cannabis option to every occasion worth toasting.
Each product uses locally sourced, premium cannabis and is formulated with both THC and CBG for a balanced, intentional experience. Fast onset means you're not waiting around wondering when it will kick in. And every formulation is backed by data from our MoreBetter Real-World Infused Beverage Study — because we believe claims should come with evidence.
MS Awareness Month and the Bigger Picture
March is MS Awareness Month, and for our team, it's always a time of reflection. Multiple sclerosis affects people in vastly different ways, but one common thread is the way chronic illness can quietly shrink your world. Activities that used to be effortless require calculation. Social events come with a cost-benefit analysis. And too often, the things that bring joy get cut first — not because they aren't important, but because the energy required to participate feels too high.
Cannabis beverages won't cure MS. We would never make that claim. But they can offer something that matters: an option. A way to participate in social rituals without the inflammatory effects of alcohol. A way to unwind at the end of a long day without worrying about how your body will respond tomorrow. A small, shimmering, delicious way to say yes to the moment.
That's what Leah built this brand to provide. Not just for people living with MS, but for anyone navigating sobriety, exploring the sober-curious movement, managing a chronic condition, or simply rethinking their relationship with alcohol. The door is open, the drinks are poured, and everyone is welcome at the table.
Thank You, Today in Science
We're grateful to Today in Science for sharing our story with their audience and for recognizing that the intersection of cannabis, wellness, and science is a space worth covering thoughtfully. Every piece of media coverage helps us reach more people who might not know that an alternative like 23rd State exists — and that's what keeps us going.
You can read the full article on Today in Science here.
To explore our full product lineup, visit 23state.com. To learn more about the story behind the brand, head to Our Story.
And if you're celebrating MS Awareness Month — whether as someone living with MS, a caregiver, a loved one, or an ally — know that this brand was made with you in mind. Joy is part of wellness too. We mean that.
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23rd State products contain THC and are intended for adults 21+. Please consume responsibly. 23rd State products are available at 23state.com and at select retailers across Minnesota.
