Bubble tea and ‘a little mellow feeling’ both available at newly opened Starbuds Canna Cafe

Ridge Road cafe only sells products under the legal limit of THC, says owner Ruchit Patel

By Josh Bootsma

LANSING, Ill. (October 3, 2022) – A new business on Ridge Road has been drawing lots of attention recently — from residents excited to have a nearby spot to buy some increasingly-popular bubble tea, to residents concerned about the sale of marijuana-related products within. Starbuds Canna Cafe opened a couple of weeks ago at 3420 Ridge Road.

The storefront, which used to be the home of Lansing Floral Shop (and still bears that name on its awning), advertises “edibles” and features a logo with marijuana plant leaves coming out of a coffee cup, alongside graphics of bubble tea.

CBD, not THC

According to business owner Ruchit Patel, Starbuds offers products that contain cannabidiol (CBD), a substance derived from a marijuana plant. The substance has numerous health benefits touted by the medical community, including use as an aid to those with epilepsy, insomnia, chronic pain, and other ailments.

By law, CBD products must contain less than 0.3% THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), which is the psychoactive chemical in marijuana that results in a “high.” In Illinois, retailers selling products that contain more than 0.3% THC are considered cannabis dispensaries and are subject to strict regulations from the state.

Patel said Starbuds offers only CBD products and products infused with CBD, all of which will contain less than 0.3% THC.

Not in violation

Lansing Village Administrator Dan Podgorski said the 0.3% threshold was a large factor in the discussions to offer Patel a business license.

“I’ve got the applicant’s request for a business license, and our attorneys’ review of it — and their conclusion that this business would not be in violation of our ordinances, which do not allow any business licenses to go to cannabis-related businesses,” Podgorski said. “Our code does not currently prevent CBD or hemp products.”

In addition to Starbuds, the Patel family also owns the neighboring Edible Arrangements store, as well as Lansing Floral Shop, which is operating in the building directly behind Starbuds.

Available at Starbuds

The cafe offers a wide variety of teas and other drinks, with mix-ins available as well.

“Bubble tea, fruit tea, frappes, just some things that are new to the town. We even have CBD coffee,” Patel said.

The store also offers various pre-packaged CBD products.

“We don’t have the conventional THC products at our store, but we have other cannabinoids, hemp-derived, like Delta 8, Delta 10, gummies, tinctures,” Patel said. “We have creams and oils for pain — for arthritis or sports activities. … A lot of people have sleep problems and anxiety problems, so we have a lot of products to help with that.”

Many of the drinks at Starbuds can be infused with CBD in various quantities. When asked what effect 120 mg of CBD infused into a bubble tea would have on a person, Patel said, “It’s going to give you a nice, relaxed feeling. A little mellow feeling.”

Starbuds Canna Cafe is located at 3420 Ridge Road in Lansing.