CBD Vending Machine Shows Up In Popular Shopping Area Of Small French Town

Residents of a small French town, Bressuire can now enjoy shopping for CBD products 24 hours a day. The Vendée-based company Alpaga expanded its offering with the installation of a new CBD vending machine, writes CannabizEu.

CBD, or cannabidiol, is one of at least 100 non-psychoactive chemical compounds in the marijuana plant. It has gained attention for its myriad benefits, including reducing pain and inflammation, helping with certain cancer-related symptoms, possible neuroprotective qualities and as a sleep aid. Proven to help with rare and severe forms of epilepsy, it was used to produce the only FDA-approved CBD-based drug Epidolex.

Since CBD is a non-psychoactive compound also found in hemp, CBD-derived products have become very popular across the U.S. and are now gaining traction in some European countries as well.

In Bressuire, a CBD vending machine was installed this July on Boulevard de l'Europe, which is a popular commercial zone. It is said that this is the first CBD vending machine in Bressuire, which is the capital of Bocage.

"Our advantage over specialty stores is that we are open 24 hours a day and we can offer attractive prices because we have no overhead costs," Aurélien Piveteau, commercial director of Alpaga told Newsday Fr, according to translation.

Read Also: Coloradans Can Now Buy Weed Straight From A Vending Machine, Even Gov. Jared Polis Is Excited

Any Risks?

The new CBD vending machine underscores the popularization and demand for CBD products in France.

However, not everyone sees this as a benefit. Charlotte La Diega, a pharmacist in Niort creator of the Instagram account Cannabis en santé (Cannabis in Health) warns about the lack of advice before purchase. "CBD products can be very effective, with anti-inflammatory or antidepressant properties, provided the patient is well advised because there are risks related to drug interactions," La Diega told the outlet.

Nevertheless, it appears that interest in CBD vending machines is growing. A company in Luxembourg that sells a range of CBD marijuana products reached consumers across the country. The Czech Republic also opted for this cost-effective solution having about 50 of these machines in some of its biggest cities, writes CannabizEu.

Meanwhile, France is working on broadening its medical marijuana program. In 2023, France took a step toward the generalization of medical marijuana when the government proposed an amendment to the Social Security Financing Bill concerning medical marijuana. This is the first time a medical cannabis law was presented to France’s general medical framework. Under the new proposals, medical marijuana products will be granted a “temporary authorization” for five years, with a possibility of indefinite renewals. The use and health insurance coverage of medical marijuana are set to begin in January 2025.

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