NEWS
Headshop owner convicted for illegal sale of ‘hemp flower’
A shop owner in Preston has become the first person in the UK to be convicted for selling low-THC ‘hemp flower’, according to a video posted on Facebook.
John King, owner of the Mushroom Headshop and CBD Botanicals Store, was charged with possession with intent to supply Class B drugs, an offense that carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of up to £2,500.
King explained that while the stem and seeds are legal, sales of flower are illegal, regardless of their THC content.
King said:
“Anyone who is selling hemp flower at this time or who has been raided, or charged or released pending further investigation, will be convicted for it.
“You do not have a defence, you have been selling class B drugs.”
The police have been cracking down on flower retailers over the past six months.
In May, officers in Brighton targeted the Canna Kitchen, a nearby headshop and a residential address where they arrested a 46-year-old woman on suspicion of money laundering and selling Class B drugs.
A 35-year-old man and a 25-year-old woman were arrested on suspicion of supplying Class-B drugs in March after police executed a search of a CBD shop and a residential property in the Plymouth area.
Mr King has been contacted for comment.
Source: United Kingdom Cannabis Social Clubs
