After the baguette and pizza vending machines, here are the first vending machines for cannabidiolNot to be confused with its illegal cousin, cannabis.

In the Rhône, at least three dispensers have already been installed in Caluire-et-Cuire, Genay and Givors. Another machine should be set up in the Part-Dieu shopping centre soon, thus offering much wider visibility to these products. All of them were set up by Eric Perrin, an entrepreneur from the department who is also a nurse and 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 product made from CBD, authorised in France. Cannabidiol is one of the active substances found in hemp, but it does not have the very "special" and dangerous effects of cannabis as it does not contain any psychotropic drugs. More precisely, cannabis contains a very high level of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). This level remains legal as long as it does not exceed 0.2% of the product sold. CBD is therefore included in this authorisation with, according to its representatives, relaxing and de-stressing effects to fight against anxiety, rheumatism, injuries or anguish.

From chocolate bars to lollipops and pastilles

Today, it is possible to sell all forms of CBD products: chocolate bars, but also chewing gums, honey, lollipops, creams and ointments, drinks or, for those who prefer suppositories... But what works best are oils and infusions, to be placed in the tea balls. The recipe is very simple: let it steep in hot water for a few minutes and enjoy.

What about taste? "It depends on the individual. You can still smell the product"explains Eric Perrin. "It is not a medicine at all, nor is it a therapeutic indication. You should always ask your doctor's advice first. Studies have already demonstrated the beneficial effects on health. It is a product for well-being, for relaxation. We don't go beyond that."

Court rules to allow the sale

The Court of Cassation ruled on Wednesday 24 June 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 against the manager of a shop in Grenoble that sold cannabidiol-based products. Those involved in the industry, which whets economic appetites, welcomed this "new slap in the face" inflicted on the government in this complex case.

The French authorities have closed down dozens of shops selling this "light cannabis" in recent years, but they have come up against European regulations in court, which allow it. In November 2020, the European Court of Justice rejected the ban on CBD in France, stressing the harmlessness of this molecule, and therefore that it cannot be considered a narcotic or a medicine.

In the Grenoble shop case, the Court of Cassation, which ordered a retrial in Paris, also justified its ruling in the name of respect for the principle of free movement of goods within the European Union (EU), arguing that the sale of CBD in one Member State cannot be prohibited if it is legally produced in another Member State.

The judges of the Grenoble Court of Appeal "did not investigate, as they were asked to do, whether the CBD discovered in the shop run by the defendant was legally manufactured in another EU state", the Court explained. But it also made it clear that it did not settle the substantive question of whether France could validly prohibit the possession and marketing of CBD on its territory in the name of the objective of protecting public health.

After the European Court of Justice rejected the ban on CBD in November, the French government revised its position and announced that it would authorise CBD-based products, but that the sale of dried flowers and leaves, considered more harmful, would remain prohibited. However, this last provision has also been challenged by the French Supreme Court, which ruled on Wednesday that CBD should "be allowed to be marketed even if it is extracted from the whole plant", i.e. including the flowers and leaves.

The ruling is a further "slap in the face for the current government line", said the L630 association, which specialises in drug law, in a statement, saying that France's highest court "has just imposed a rigid line of law which the government will no doubt no longer be able to depart from". "It is a slap in the face for the government, which is maintaining, 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 only dictated by political and electoral motives", agreed Aurélien Delecroix, president of the hemp union.

CBD, applied directly to your smartphone

While waiting for a definitive legislative framework, CBD-based products continue to develop, with applications for smartphones to easily find all points of sale, whether automatic or not. This is a great way to relax and regain a bit of zen attitude at any time. These applications allow users to place their orders quickly and clearly, without having to go anywhere.