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J.P. Licks to serve up hemp-based, vegan-friendly cones

J.P. Licks, at 352 Newbury Street, is introducing a new line of hemp-based non-dairy ice cream. RACHEL SCHOWALTER/DFP STAFF

J.P. Licks will be dishing out vegan-friendly scoops of hemp, coconut and pineapple ice cream during the spring to ice cream lovers with special diets.

People with lactose and gluten allergies will be able to enjoy J.P. Licks’ new line of non-dairy, gluten-free ice cream with coconut-based flavors, according to a press release.

“We believe these flavors will be well received,” said Beth Otis, a spokeswoman for J.P. Licks, in an email. “There has been quite a demand.”

The non-dairy, gluten-free, vegan and Kosher-certified ice cream will be sweetened with brown rice and agave syrups, according to the release. The first three non-dairy flavors will be Coconut Almond Lace, Chocolate Coconut and Pineapple Coconut.

They will be available for purchase on March 1, Otis said.

“We are constantly developing and producing new flavors based on evolving tastes, food trends and dietary needs of our customers,” said J.P. Licks founder and owner, Vince Petryk, in the press release.

Chase Thomas, a J.P. Licks customer, said he has no reason to eat non-dairy ice cream, but he might try the flavors out anyway.

“Those coconut flavors actually sound pretty good, so I might give them a go just for the heck of it,” he said.

Customers can sample the non-dairy coconut flavors on March 6 from at any J.P. Licks location and purchase any size of non-dairy ice cream at half price, according to the press release.

Otis also said J.P. Licks will introduce hemp and soy non-dairy based flavors in April and May.

“Is that even legal?” said J.P. Licks customer Angela Fischer. “I’ll probably try it just for the sake of trying it, but I can’t imagine that hemp will taste very good.”

While hemp and marijuana are both part of the cannabis plant, industrial hemp has levels of tetrahydrocannabinol that are not high enough to cause a high, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration.

Additionally, foods and beverages made from cannabis are illegal if they contain THC, according to a Drug Enforcement Administration press release.

Living Harvest, a company based in Portland, Ore., also makes hemp ice cream and other hemp-based products.

Like J.P. Licks, Living Harvest cites customers’ dietary restrictions as a main reason to turn to hemp.

“With food allergies on the rise, natural, unprocessed, raw and organic foods are widely becoming the new norm,” according to Living Harvest’s website. “As an agricultural crop, hemp is a plant-based superfood.”

Their website also states that hemp is safe to consume.

“Hemp is nothing to be afraid of. It’s not marijuana and has no drug value,” according to the website. “The only ‘high’ you’ll get is from the oh-so-delicious, rich and creamy taste.”

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