After the baguette or pizza vending machines, here are the first
cannabidiol distributors, not to be confused with its illegal cousin cannabis.
In the Rhône, at least 3 distributors have already been installed in Caluire-et-Cuire, Genay and Givors. Another machine should be installed in the Part-Dieu shopping center soon, thus offering much wider visibility to these products. All were implemented by an entrepreneur from the department, also a nurse, Eric Perrin, who created the company WP services for this purpose.
CBD, a legal product according to its supporters
In these machines, what is sold is a CBD product, authorized in France. Cannabidiol is one of the active substances derived from hemp, but it does not have the very “peculiar” and dangerous effects of cannabis since it does not contain any psychotropic drugs. More precisely, cannabis contains a very high level of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This rate remains legal as long as it does not exceed 0.2% of the product sold. CBD therefore falls within this authorization with, according to its representatives, relaxing and de-stressing effects to combat anxiety, rheumatism, injuries and even anxiety.
From chocolate bars to lollipops and pastilles
Today, it is possible to sell all forms of CBD-based products: chocolate bars, but also chewing gum, honey, lollipops, creams and ointments, drinks or even for those who prefer suppositories... But what works best are
oils and infusions, to be placed in tea balls. The recipe is very simple: let it infuse in hot water for a few minutes and enjoy.
And for the taste? “
It depends on each person. We still feel the product ,” explains Eric Perrin. “
It is not at all a medicine, nor a therapeutic indication. You should always ask your doctor for advice beforehand. Studies have already demonstrated the beneficial effects for health. It is a well-being product, for rest and relaxation. We don't go beyond that. “
Justice decides to authorize the sale
The Court of Cassation handed down its decision on Wednesday June 24 and ruled that CBD could be sold in France if it was produced in another European country. In addition, the country's highest court overturned a ruling condemning the manager of a store in Grenoble who sold cannabidiol-based products. Actors in the sector which whets economic appetites welcomed this “new snub” inflicted on the government in this twisted issue.
In recent years, the French authorities have closed dozens of shops selling this “light cannabis”, but are facing legal challenges to European regulations, which authorize it. In November 2020, European justice rejected the ban on CBD in France, emphasizing the safety of this molecule, and therefore that it cannot be considered a narcotic or a medicine.
In the case of the Grenoble store, the Court of Cassation, which ordered a new trial in Paris, also justified its judgment in the name of respect for the principle of free movement of goods within the European Union ( EU), arguing that the sale of CBD cannot be prohibited in one Member State if it is legally produced in another Member State.
The judges of the Grenoble Court of Appeal “did not investigate, although they were asked, whether the CBD discovered in the store run by the defendant was legally manufactured in another EU state”, explained the courtyard. But it also clarified that it does not resolve the substantive question of whether France can validly prohibit the possession and marketing of CBD on its territory in the name of the objective of protecting public health.
After the rejection of the ban on CBD by the European courts in November, the French government revised its copy and announced that it would authorize CBD-based products, but that the sale of dried flowers and leaves, considered more harmful , would remain prohibited. But this last provision is also called into question by the Court of Cassation, which ruled on Wednesday that CBD must “be able to be marketed even if it is extracted from the entire plant”, therefore including the flowers and leaves.
Its ruling constitutes a new “snub for the current government line”, judged in a press release the L630 association, specialized in drug law, estimating that the highest French court “has just imposed a rigid line of law to which the government will probably no longer be able to deviate.” “It is a snub for the government which maintains, against the interests of the French industry, and today against the decisions of its own judicial institution, a desire to ban the flower which is no longer dictated only for political or even electoral reasons,” added Aurélien Delecroix, president of the hemp union.
CBD, in application directly on your smartphone
While waiting for a definitive legislative framework, CBD-based products continue to develop, with smartphone applications to easily find all points of sale, automatic or not. Enough to relax, and find a little zen attitude at any time. These applications allow their users to place their order quickly and clearly, without having to travel.
