With more people confined to their homes than ever before, and the terrifying reality of a global pandemic at hand, people have turned to an unhealthy coping mechanism: alcohol. As expected in any historically stressful situation, alcohol consumption has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Tapping into this newfound desire for something that will take the edge off reality is Kin Euphorics, a new line of mood-altering, non-alcoholic beverages.
What are euphorics, exactly? Kin euphorics are being marketed as an ideal alternative to alcohol, drinks that have all the mind-numbing, mood-increasing effects of alcohol without any of the negative side-effects, like hangovers, vomiting, and a sense of general regret. Drinkers of Kin euphorics have apparently reported “enhanced social connections and cognitive abilities, greater pleasure in being around other people, and warm feelings of calm.” Sound familiar? Like a particular mood-altering drug that has no negative side effects from a certain Aldous Huxley novel?
So how exactly do they work? A drink that fills you with bliss without any negative side-effects? It must be the key to world peace. I digress. The power of Kin euphorics lies in their use of three main substances: adaptogens, nootropics, and, botanics. Adaptogens work to strengthen the adrenal system and moderate stress responses. Nootropics are legal drugs (like alcohol) that help improve cognitive functions, including memory, creativity, and motivation. Botanics are plant-derived substances that are valued for their medicinal and therapeutic properties.
All achieved without alcohol! And what’s more, like the pleasure-inducing soma of Brave New World, these legal drugs come in three different types, with each product producing a different effect. First up is Kin High Rhode, a “herbaceous blend” designed to boost your mood, create calm, and help socializing. Next we have the Kin Dream Light, a liquid sleeping pill that doesn’t need a prescription, a mixture of melatonin and L-theanine to help give drinkers a relaxing night’s sleep. Finally, their most popular product, is the Kin Spritz, a non-alcoholic version of the classic cocktail that improves thinking, clarity, and calmness.
Kin Euphorics are alcohol-free, mood-enhancing drinks that seek to replace alcohol with “bliss.” Their website reads: “We’re on a mission to bliss up the cup of the world because we believe in the virtue of unity for all.” Do they realize how this sounds exactly like the pseudo-utopian brainwashing of a dystopian society? Maybe that familiarity helps with their marketing.
Kin’s pleasure-inducing products may even be the future of socializing and drinking. Because there’s nothing potentially dangerous about a legal drug that enhances your mood on a recreational basis, without any negative side-effects that could limit over-consumption. Right? Perhaps we should leave such dystopias to the realm of fiction. Aldous Huxley agrees.
Speaking of potential dystopian futures, click here to read about Songbird, a new coronavirus movie set in a bleak 2024.
