Cookies, teas, lollipops, oils, coffee, cosmetics and even ice cream and desserts… All with cannabis or at least the aroma of the plant. That's what you can find in cannabis store Faro, which opened a month ago, downtown.
Ramon Jacinto is responsible for opening this business, which was set up in record time. «The idea came when I was in Palma de Mallorca, with my girlfriend, in the middle of September. I saw the store of franchise in Palma and I thought I wanted to open a shop like this in the Algarve».
“One or two days went by and I saw on the internet a photo of Sam the Kid with a hat from the store, because there are already some in Portugal. So I tried to contact the brand, through a contact given to me by the owners of the store in Palma de Mallorca. This was on a Saturday and they called me on Monday».
Afterwards, the franchisor «has taken care of everything». "They asked us to find a space, ask for the open-door license and the complaints book," Ramon told Sul Informação.
But, since cannabis is an illegal drug in Portugal, why is it allowed to have a shop that sells products based on this plant? The explanation is simple: the products from cannabis store Faro are produced based on cannabidol, also known as CBD, which is a substance that is not psychoactive, unlike tetrahydrocannabidol (THC).
“THC is the psychoactive part of the plant and CBD is the natural, medicinal part, which relaxes us and only affects the body. For example, students, if they are nervous before a test, can do better”.
Although not a psychoactive substance, CBD “helps to treat anxiety and insomnia. It also has benefits for patients with cancer, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and epilepsy», guarantees Ramon Jacinto.
In the store, you can buy merchandising, oils, whether for animals or for people, pills, or crystals, which «help with relaxation and relieve pain».
Among the products based on cannabis, this store also includes honey, olive oil, coffee, beer, soft drinks, water and tea, «which is what comes out the most. People who never thought of trying cannabis take tea. Even my mother took tea to try and she liked it», says the young entrepreneur.
For those with a sweet tooth, there is also tiramisú and ice cream.
A good part of the products are prohibited for sale to children under 18, but younger ones can try “lollipops, chewing gum, candy or gum, which only have the aroma and do not contain CBD”.
What is certain is that the new store in downtown Faro it has aroused the curiosity of people of all ages. “We have a lot of local customers, but also some tourists. Most customers are between 18 and 50 years old. We can say that we have a wide audience», concludes Ramon Jacinto.
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