The Sentinel: Social Drinking

Wynk brings THC Seltzers to Midwest and South with strategic expansion

With its presence already established in Illinois, Wynk is becoming a familiar name in a fast-evolving space of cannabis culture.

URBANA - As cannabis culture continues to gain ground across the United States, one brand is carving out its niche with a low-key, socially friendly twist. Wynk, a hemp-derived THC-infused seltzer brand, is expanding its distribution footprint once again, this time into Wisconsin, Kentucky, Alabama, and Arkansas. The move signals the brand’s growing influence in the alternative beverage market, particularly in regions new to cannabis-derived drinkables.

Photo courtesy Wynk/PR Newswire

With its presence already established in states like Georgia, Texas, Illinois, New Jersey, Florida, and Connecticut, Wynk is becoming a familiar name in a fast-evolving space. The brand’s core appeal lies in its approachability: low-dose THC, zero calories or sugar, and a flavor-forward lineup that includes Black Cherry Fizz, Lime Twist, Juicy Mango, and Tangerine.

Since the 2018 Farm Bill expanded the legality of hemp-derived products under certain THC thresholds, the market for these beverages has grown rapidly.

This latest regional rollout comes on the heels of key distribution partnerships. Wynk has aligned with Sarene in Kentucky, C&M Sales in Arkansas, United - Johnson Brothers in Alabama, and Beechwood Sales & Service in Wisconsin. These relationships are helping bring the product to grocery chains, liquor stores, and independent retailers alike.

In Kentucky, for example, Wynk is now stocked at well-known outlets like Total Wine and Liquor Barn, while Alabama consumers can find the brand at Piggly Wiggly. Arkansas residents are seeing the product pop up in cities such as Little Rock, Fayetteville, Fort Smith, and Harrison. And in Wisconsin, Wynk becomes the first THC beverage in the Sheehan Family of Brands portfolio.

Part of Wynk’s appeal is rooted in science. Thanks to nano-emulsification technology, which breaks THC into particles that are absorbed faster by the body, consumers can feel the effects in as little as 10 minutes—offering a more predictable and palatable experience than traditional edibles. That consistency, coupled with social flexibility and the absence of alcohol, has helped drive demand.

Since the 2018 Farm Bill expanded the legality of hemp-derived products under certain THC thresholds, the market for these beverages has grown rapidly. Many brands have entered the space, but few have captured the blend of taste, control, and accessibility that Wynk seems to prioritize. Available locally at Binny’s Beverage Depot for $23.99 per 12-pack (with store card), the product represents a new frontier in casual, cannabis-adjacent consumption.

As more consumers seek alternatives to alcohol for social occasions or wellness reasons, Wynk’s growth reflects a broader shift in behavior—especially in communities where traditional cannabis use has been slower to gain mainstream traction. With this latest expansion, Wynk is placing a firm foothold in new territories and giving consumers more choices in how they unwind.

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10 Health recommendations for the new year

Ready to quit smoking in 2025? Ask your doctor for resources and guidance for quitting tobacco and nicotine.

Photo: Lil Artsy/PEXELS

StatePoint - Looking to improve your health in 2025 and beyond? Check out these recommendations from the American Medical Association:

Make nutritional tweaks: Reduce your intake of sugar-sweetened beverages and processed foods, especially those with added sodium and sugar. Drinking sugary beverages, even 100% fruit juices, is associated with a higher mortality risk, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open. Drink water and choose nutritious, whole foods including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts and seeds, low-fat dairy products, and lean meats and poultry.

Get active: A recent study published in JAMA found that putting down the TV remote and going for a walk can improve healthy aging—highlighting the importance of small everyday habits. Adults should get at least 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity, or 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity activity.

Get up-to-date: Get your vaccines in advance of respiratory virus season—including the annual flu vaccine and the updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine for everyone six months and older, as well as pregnant people. People 65 and older and those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised should receive a second dose of the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine six months later.

RSV can be dangerous for older adults. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend those 75 and older, and 60 and older at high risk for severe RSV, get vaccinated. Immunizations are also available to protect babies from getting very sick from RSV. This is important because RSV is the leading cause of infant hospitalization nationwide.

If you have questions, speak with your physician and review trusted resources, including GetMyFluShot.org. You can also reduce the spread of respiratory viruses by covering coughs and sneezes, frequently washing your hands, wearing masks, improving air quality, and staying home if you are sick.

Get screened: Make an appointment for preventive care, tests and screenings to help your doctor spot certain conditions before they become more serious.

Know your blood pressure numbers: Visit ManageYourBP.org to understand your blood pressure numbers and take necessary steps to get hypertension under control. Doing so will reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. If checking your blood pressure at home, visit ValidateBP.org to see if your device has been tested for accuracy.

Learn your type 2 diabetes risk: Take a 2-minute self-screening test at DoIHavePrediabetes.org. Steps you take now can help prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes, which carries a higher risk of heart disease, kidney disease and vision loss.

Drink only in moderation: If consuming alcohol, do so in moderation as defined by the U.S. Dietary Guidelines for Americans—up to one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men, and only by adults of legal drinking age.

Quit tobacco and nicotine: Ask your doctor for resources and guidance for quitting tobacco and nicotine. Declare your home and car smoke-free to eliminate secondhand smoke exposure.

Follow dosage instructions: When taking prescription opioids or other medications, store them safely to prevent diversion or misuse, and properly dispose of any leftover medication. If you’re prescribed antibiotics, take the full course to prevent antibiotic resistance—a serious public health problem.

Manage stress: Good mental health is part of good overall health. Get sufficient sleep (at least 7.5 hours per night), exercise and ask for help from a mental health professional when you need it.

More health resources and tips can be found by visiting ama-assn.org.

“The best way to address the post-holiday doldrums is to do something good for your health,” said Bruce A. Scott, M.D., president of the AMA. “Even small, positive choices you make now can have a big impact on your long-term wellbeing.”

Resistance isn't futile - "BORG" drinking is not healthy for the brain

But while the consumers think water and electrolytes might protect them from hangovers, it didn’t protect some students from ending up in the hospital.

by Matt Sheehan
OSF Healthcare

Gallon jugs are oftentimes used for daily necessities like milk and water. But a new trend on social media could be a mixture for disaster.

Blackout rage gallon, or "BORG" drinking, is the newest TikTok take on binge drinking.

College students can be seen on social media mixing alcohol, water, sweet flavorings and hangover remedies like Pedialyte. But while the consumers think water and electrolytes might protect them from hangovers, it didn’t protect some students from ending up in the hospital.

In Amherst, Massachusetts – home of UMass Amherst – the local fire department handled nearly 30 ambulance transport requests due to significant alcohol intoxication.

Deepak Nair, MD, a neurologist with OSF HealthCare Illinois Neurological Institute, says blacking out from drinking is very harmful.

"High quantities of alcohol can cause direct damage to the brain," says Dr. Nair. "In single settings of drinking where you’re having enough alcohol to blackout, the reason you’re blacking out is because there’s a toxic effect of that alcohol on the brain."

Dr. Nair says binge drinking is something "fairly unique" to American culture. But he also calls it the most risky form of drinking.

"We know it’s dangerous to both the nervous system and the brain, but also in terms of other long-term health effects," Dr. Nair says. "Even those who have stopped engaging in binge drinking, there are long-term lingering effects. Everything from mild cognitive impairment that’s permanent, to more severe forms of what are called ‘alcoholic Wernicke encephalopathy’ where specific parts of the brain are being damaged permanently. This can cause permanent disability."

Dr. Deepak Nair

So what about this new form of binge drinking? Does diluting the alcohol with water and electrolytes provide any benefits at all? Dr. Nair says a basic chemistry class will give you the answer.

"All you’re doing is slightly diluting the amount of alcohol. But you’re still talking about a very high percentage of alcohol by volume, and a very high overall volume of alcoholic liquid. That’s not a good way to think about it," Dr. Nair says.

In the short term, blacking out from alcohol may just cause you to not be able to remember the night before. But Dr. Nair says continued binge drinking and blacking out can cause your memory, in general, to worsen.

“High quantities of alcohol have a tendency to impact the memory centers of our brain. When those parts of the brain are damaged, it can permanently impair our ability to store memories. At the end stage when we meet patients like this, not only can they not store new memories and recall memories effectively, their brain starts to make up details about their own life,” Dr. Nair adds.

Dr. Nair says this is called Korsakoff psychosis, which is a later stage complication of persistent Wernicke encephalopathy. He says this brain disorder is incredibly disabling, and alcohol abuse contributes to this problem.

Your health: Excessive alcohol consumption can be deadly for young adults

by Tim Ditman
Media Relations Coordinator, OSF Healthcare

URBANA -- For many adults, alcohol is part of unwinding after a stressful work week. There are the usual reminders about having a sober driver, knowing your limits and mixing in water between your beers. But experts are also warning about the dangers of excessive drinking or binge drinking, which is having several drinks on one occasion.

Photo provided

Dr. Andrew Zasada

Two recent studies shed light on the dangers. One reported that around one in five deaths among people aged 20 to 49 was attributed to excessive alcohol use. The other study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine linked binge drinking to problems like alcohol addiction, emotional symptoms and not getting along with friends, family and coworkers. This was true in study participants who didn’t even consider themselves heavy drinkers.

The dangers

How quickly can binge drinking turn problematic?

"Very easily," says Andrew Zasada, MD, an internal medicine physician at OSF HealthCare in Champaign County, Illinois.

Dr. Zasada says for women, binge drinking is defined as five or more drinks on one occasion, like a night out on the town that lasts three to four hours. For men, it’s 15 drinks. That takes into account the differences in how men’s and women’s bodies metabolize alcohol.

Dr. Zasada says the internal issues linked with excessive alcohol use can be devastating.

"It can cause brain dysfunction. It can cause liver disease and stomach ulcers," Dr. Zasada says. "It’s just not a good thing. It can cause a wide variety of problems."

Not to mention the outward symptoms like: acne, redness on your nose and palms and dry, wrinkled skin that makes you look older. And drinking during pregnancy can lead to a host of problems for the child, like facial abnormalities and developmental deficits.

"A lifetime of misery" for the little one, as Dr. Zasada puts it.

Safety, recovery

Just like there’s no magic way to prevent or cure a hangover, there’s no magic number of drinks to have on a night out that will make you immune to alcohol problems. But for Fourth of July revelers, Dr. Zasada has this advice: take it slow.

"If you’re an average size gentleman, probably a beer an hour is just about the max you can drink," he says.

Dr. Zasada says are there many ways to help people who are drinking in excess. In the short term, such as during a party, call 911 if the person needs immediate medical attention. If they just need a break, take the person away from the clatter to rest. Take their car keys, and give them some water. A painkiller like Tylenol in appropriate doses can help with that hangover headache the next day.

Long term, a patient’s primary care provider can link them with resources to curb drinking, such as Alcoholics Anonymous or treatment centers. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism also has resources. And within OSF HealthCare’s footprint, Illinois and Michigan have phone numbers to call for behavioral health issues.

"If the person is trying to deny that they drink at all; if they are drinking alone when there is nobody else around; if they're trying to hide or cover up their drinking, those are all fairly serious warning signs that this person needs help," Dr. Zasada says.

Dr. Zasada says it’s never too late to kick the habit of excessive drinking, but sooner is better.

"It's easier to mitigate any problems that have already occurred earlier, rather than wait for the problem to get very, very serious, very bad, and then quit," he says. "Yeah, you'll get better. But you won't go back to what you were."

That "getting better" looks like a lot of things.

"You might lose weight. You might lower your blood pressure. It may increase heart health," Dr. Zasada says. "You'll think clearer. You'll sleep better."