Shop opens to meet demand for CBD products
A SHOP that sells cannabis oil products has opened in Merthyr Tydfil town centre.
KeyVapours LTD was opened up in 2014 selling e-cigarettes and vaping products and owner Warren Croot said the demand for cannabidiol (CBD) products grew so he opened Keyvapours CBD store a few doors away in Beacons Place Arcade.
Warren says he was selling CBD through his other ventures but felt the need to open a dedicated store for his customers.
Last month, Home Secretary Sajid Javid announced that medicinal cannabis products could be legally prescribed to patients in the UK from the autumn.
Warren said: “We opened it as we didn’t want some of our customers, for example older clientele, to be intimidated in coming to a vape shop for food supplements.
“We cannot offer any advice to them about these products, and we also have a sign up stating this fact; they must do their own research or consult their doctor if they are on medication.
“Customers ave given us an amazing response, very encouraging, with many saying it was about time an actual shop opened up instead of online options.”
CBD oil is a cannabinoid derived from the cannabis plant. Recently, it has caused a lot of media attention as many claim it provides pain relief and combats major illnesses.
The CBD shop is believed to be one of the first in Wales and is set to open other branches later this year.
Although research suggests CBD can cure illnesses, Warren says he doesn’t want to “mislead” people and customers should do their own research before testing the products. He says the products he stocks are all lab tested and contain CBD, not hemp oil as some other products do.
“We also do not want to stock misleading products. One of our contacts works with the Cannabis Trade Association and they bought 20 random samples of CBD oil on eBay. They found that not only was most of it hemp oil and not CBD, but only one out of 20 actually contained CBD at all,” he said.
“This is disgusting and shameful, as people are buying CBD products for their own particular reasons, but instead are being blatantly ripped off.
“The customer feedback has been excellent as people are looking for alternatives supplements and many people are reconsidering their medication options with their doctors.”
The Cannabis Trades Association UK wishes to regulate the selling of CBD with a number of standards in place to eliminate bad practice and to ensure that businesses trade legally and ethically.