Kiva’s line of cannabis-infused gummies includes four varieties, three of which contain 5mg of THC each. For the Sparkling Pear gummies, they lowered the THC down a few pegs and bumped up the CBD for a flavor that seemed to evoke a little more wellness than the rest. As I mentioned above, I didn’t expect to blast off even after doubling the recommended dose of one gummy. In fact, I felt assured that both of my experiences with this gummy would be ephemeral at best. My arrogance might keep me from making the best decisions, but sometimes that same arrogance makes for a better story.

There is an underlying funk to these edibles that I really got into, a tang that landed somewhere between skunky and fermented. While I wasn’t picking up a remarkable pear flavor, there was the suggestion of fruit. Similar to those barely-there La Croix flavors, it tasted like someone describing what pear tastes like in an ASMR recording. My first assertion was that these gummies were imitating fizzy cider, the type children drink from champagne saucers at weddings. Instead, it was a mature interpretation of the flavors, presented in a medium-firm gummy that was easy to roll around my mouth. Frankly, these were so delish I would work my jaw around them any day of the week—even without the cannabis infusion.

But that cannabis infusion is why I’m here, and when it activated during session one, I was taken aback by the unmistakable onset. The 4mg of THC hit me like a down pillow to the face while the 12mg of CBD cushioned the blow with an uplifting body buzz. There was a discernible head high I had not prepared for, and as such, didn't quite know what to do with. I thought I’d be content to putz around the house, but the high was too cerebral for dusting and doing laundry. I sat down to my desk, feeling like a geyser of creativity was bubbling just beneath my surface, and proceeded to clean my email inbox for a half an hour.

There was a frustrating impotence I couldn't surmount because I hadn’t expected to be so friggin’ jazzed. I had all this good energy and nowhere to direct it. Each time I tried to pivot out of my inbox and into the creative space of Photoshop or Docs, I quickly became distracted by some banal task. Whether it was the initial idea that I’d spend the day in domestic drudgery or just the unfocused firehouse of my own creativity, the geyser soon turned into a flaccid dribble. I lamented my cognitive unpreparedness, and I resolved to be more ready for round two now that I knew what the gummy was capable of.

“There was a soft, sweet feeling of contentment left behind once the high had evaporated.”

When day two arrived, I knew just what to do with my quadruple dose of these pear-ish gummies: go straight to the gym and sweat out all my feelings while I deeply think all my thoughts. The quadruple dose blessed me with 8mg of THC and 24mg of CBD, which activated in the car on my way to the gym and, for at least a mile and a half, made me certain I was going to vomit. But the nausea abated quickly and before I knew it, I was bouncing up and down on the treadmill like a big goofy dog. There were emotional highs and lows during this second session that I assume were the result of my impending menses (I almost cried after almost vomiting), but the soft cradle of CBD kept my hormones from wringing me out. The heavier dose meant a brighter, cheerier head high. I was quick to smile at every fellow fitness enthusiast despite the early hour and my complete lack of sartorial grace. And that cushiony 24mg of CBD ensured that my body stayed loose and non-plussed, no matter how sweaty my hairline got.

Session one’s effects maintained themselves for about 2.5 hours, and day two’s mega-dose lasted only slightly longer, clocking in at just over 3 hours. On both days, there was a soft, sweet feeling of contentment left behind once the high had evaporated. Kiva’s weed infused gummies are sophisticated in both flavor and effects, and I found the dosage fun to play with. For me, it was two gummies and some creative direction or four gummies and a maniacal workout plan, but it seems like wherever your sweet spot is, these gummies are going to get you there safe and sound.