Our subscribers will rejoice to learn they will be welcome to vaporise their legal medicinal cannabis prescription in the like-minded company at Maidstone’s newest licenced cafe and bar, Good Vibes Wellness. A company who is improving patient access to medical cannabis.
For decades the conversation about cannabis on the high streets has been an intellectual and political match of table tennis that continues today – and it’s just about to get louder. Cannabis is a legally prescribed medicine and has been for five years this November. Patients have been using the internet to share tips for places that have allowed them to medicate unhindered and without judgement, further fostering patient access.
Some cinemas have OK’d medical cannabis vaping, and club venues in cities like London have devised a protocol for patients to take their medicine in a safe space and look after it for them whilst they enjoy their time on the dance floor. This is a positive change in the direction of improving patient access.
Even with great media fanfare when the news broke that ministers would improve patient access by allowing patients the right to use THC cannabis when prescribed by a specialist doctor, Medical Cannabis Clinic Releaf public polling published in the Say No To Pain report indicates that 58.5% of people are still unaware of the legal status of medical cannabis. Based off this statistic alone, patient access can be looked
Good Vibes Wellness Cafe Experience
A first of its kind in the UK, Good Vibes Wellness was founded by Alex French, who is himself a medical cannabis patient in the UK. The medical cannabis venue aims to help remove the stigma patients often experience due to their medicinal cannabis requirements. While cannabis remains illegal for people without a prescription, much of the UK is still unaware that specialist doctors can prescribe cannabis for a long list of medical conditions, and that 50% of the UK population could potentially qualify. Going forward, this suggests a positive change to patient access for medicinal cannabis.
Walking into the well-lit Good Vibes Wellness shop, a symbol of improved patient access, everything is welcoming and friendly. Warm vintage repurposed wood decor complements the counter, showcasing PAX vaporisers, CBD products from gummies to tinctures, all under the Good Vibes branding. A fridge full of CBD-infused drinks, beers and soft drinks welcomes patrons, making medicinal cannabis use more approachable.
The health-focused lifestyle venue welcomes everyone through its doors to enjoy a refreshing drink or bite to eat. Beyond the shop section is the bar with ample seating and an excellent station for those who want to come in and work away from home, doubling up perfectly for group socialising in the evening.
Next to the bar is another door that you can only walk through if you carry a prescription for cannabis which leads to a conservatory with more tables and chairs. This area is on the cutting edge of the medical cannabis evolution in the UK and progressing the newest UK Cannabis Social Club model directly onto the high street.
Improving Patient Access
Good Vibes Wellness Group wants to contribute to changing the status quo and is here to put a friendly face on the conversation in a comfortable setting. Good Vibes also signpost people who come in for CBD products and believe they qualify for legal medicinal cannabis to cannabis clinics in order that they don’t have to continue to fear arrest for taking illicit cannabis that relieves them of pain or other debilitating symptoms.
Alex, a passionate advocate for patient access to medicinal cannabis, has been committed to the Good Vibes Wellness Group project for many years. Influenced by touching stories of those affected by cannabis prohibition, he has travelled extensively to support victims who faced legal issues for possessing cannabis before they could secure a prescription.
“Being arrested for cannabis can be life-altering, so if you have a genuine medical need, it is worth getting a prescription now that you legally can. When you have a prescription, you can come and socialise at Good Vibes without fear of stigma or worry about getting arrested.”
“We are a safe space for patients to come in and feel comfortable taking their medicinal cannabis prescription with an attitude towards wellness. I think that’s the best place for cannabis in society.”
Alex French
After working on the frontline for 25 years dealing with people and seeing mental health in its rawest form, Alex has become an advocate for wellness in society and sees Good Vibes Wellness Group venues as a key element to achieving balance in the local community.
Sam Cannon, International Liaison for the Cannabis Industry Council and founder of Beyond Green was helping build the shop displays as I arrived. We chatted in the vape lounge about why he thinks venues like Good Vibes have an important role in the high street ecosystem.
“I work from home and have a prescription, so it’s nice to have this kind of venue as a place to visit outside of my normal environment, a place where I don’t have to feel uncomfortable about cannabis, a place where I can switch off and relax or socialise and learn new things with like-minded people.”
Sam Cannon
The southeast initiative will raise new hopes for more entrepreneurs to set up UK Cannabis Social Clubs for the legal consumption of products containing THC, furthering the conversation surrounding medicinal cannabis and patient access. This effort will assist patient-led initiatives to raise public awareness of the issues that the remains of medical prohibition continue to impact.
Alex was keen to express the above-board nature of the establishment:
“Good Vibes wellness venues are 100% legal. We purposely opened the venue opposite a police station to highlight this fact with a focus on removing stigma surrounding the plant and informing people how cannabis can be integrated into a healthy balanced lifestyle.
“If you need information about anything cannabis related, we can help point you in the right direction,”
Alex French
Sam wanted to add that Good Vibes Wellness venues are not just cannabis-specific, also proving a bridge into a new world of holistic health and vitality.
Final Thoughts
When visiting the Maidstone venue I felt entirely at home in this first-of-its-class new wellness space. Whether it’s a morning yoga session, a meeting in the day, or hanging out in the evening, Good Vibes has an instant community feeling to it and is striving passionately to be an embodiment of its name. The cafe opens the doors to the holistic and medicinal world of cannabis that can be enjoyed within a safe and comfortable environment for all patients, helping improve the patient access overall.
Good Vibes is fully accessible to the general public. You will only be required to show your prescription in regards to possession and consumption of cannabis on the premises.
Have you visited Good Vibes Cafe? Let us know and join the conversation on twitter @cannevents_uk
Rupert Simmington
Do you sells books related to Cannabis ? I am the author of Cannabis – A Study of its History, Prohibition and Use, published in May 2019. If you would like to make this book available to your customers, drop me an email. Best regards, Rupert Simmington
eventsmanager
Hi Rupert, we do not sell cannabis books at this time but I’ll drop you an email as its something I would like to read