E-CIG SHOPS PROMOTE MEDICINAL CANNABIS

Great news! The oil extracted from the ‘demon weed’ cannabis plant is being used as a medicinal treatment. And you can buy it at e-cig shops! This sounds like a hippie’s dream come true. Whether you partake in recreational use of cannabis or are seeking a natural medicine to relieve anxiety and pain, you should know this. Many e-cig retailers have added a myriad of cannabis oil products to their product line. They have jumped on the American bandwagon who are leading producers of cannabis oil, aka CBD. It’s a huge hit with vapers who are buying CBD products at some e-cig shops. But don’t expect to get high just because it’s made from the same cannabis plant. Despite its popularity, cannabidiol (CBD) doesn’t have the magic ingredient that gives you the mellow hit that you might expect. However, it does have wonderful relaxing properties that can relieve stress. It seems that the negative reputation of cannabis is being transformed into a positive one because of its documented medicinal benefits.

The public has been alerted to the frustrating story of six-year-old Alfie Dingley, and his mother, Hannah Deacon from Kenilworth in Warwickshire. Alfie suffers from a rare form of childhood epilepsy that causes multiple seizures. His seizures were dramatically reduced from 30 a day to none at all in a 24 day period thanks to medical cannabis oil. This happened when Alfie and his mother travelled to the Netherlands to take a cannabis-based medication prescribed by a paediatric neurologist last September. But cannabis oil remains illegal in the UK. So the Home Office has denied the family’s request for medical cannabis. It said the drug “cannot be practically prescribed, administered or supplied to the public”.

So how is it then that CBD is being sold by e-cigarette online shops and online retailers as well as the respectable high street health shop Holland and Barrett? Cannabis oil can be used in the same way as e-liquid, which is why it is available on some online electronic cigarette shops. Since hitting Holland & Barrett’s shelves five weeks ago, sales of CBD oil are up by 37 per cent. CBD is a natural product extracted from the hemp plant. Its accolades include the successful treatment of various ailments such as relieving joint pain and multiple sclerosis treating anxiety and depression. CBD oil does not produce a high as it contains less than 0.2 per cent of the psychoactive tetrahydrocannabinol – therefore, it is legal to buy and consume in the UK. Does Alfie’s mother know this? It even comes in chewable shapes like gummy bear candy.

According to the Cannabis Trades Association UK, the number of cannabidiol (CBD) users has doubled over the past year – zooming up from 125,000 to 250,000. Just like the e-cigarette, CBD is here to stay as a medicinal alternative. Are e-cig shops the next health centres?