Rogue vape shops are breaking drug laws by selling illegal cannabis flowers.
High street retailers are risking prosecution by stocking the banned plants alongside e-cigarette liquids.
The buds – which contain mind-altering tetrahydro-cannabinol (THC) – can be vaped, smoked or eaten by users to get a high.
But vendors face jail by offering customers the Class B substance, which has brand names such as Cherry Bomb and Gelato.
Cannabis flowers are illegal to sell under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
Trading Standards officers have identified a string of shops in Scotland which stock the plant.
They have informed police of the outlets in Glasgow, Renfrewshire and Ayrshire.
Our reporter bought 3.5g of dried cannabis plant cuttings from Mr Ohm in Glasgow’s Buchanan Street for £30. The shop assistant had the cannabis flowers on display alongside pre-rolled CBD cigarettes and vape oils. He told our reporter: “You can smoke this, put it in a dry vape or even eat it if you want.”
Peter Reynolds, of cannabis law reform group Clear UK, said: “All cannabis is illegal to grow or possess unless you have a licence granted by the Home Office. Despite the law, there are hundreds of retailers and websites selling cannabis flowers.
“The police seem as confused about the law as the public. We’ve received many calls from police forces asking for advice.”
Scottish Greens MSP John Finnie said: “It’s important that people are aware of the legality or otherwise of the products they’re purchasing.
“It’s concerning that unregulated and potentially dangerous products are being sold over the counter.”
David Liddell, CEO of Scottish Drugs Forum, said some retailers may be unaware they are breaking the law.
He added: “We know from the experience of legal highs a few years ago that some shop owners are willing to sell substances about which they know very little – even their legal status.”
Mr Ohm director Shaun Conway said the cannabis flowers he sells in his shops in Dumfries, Edinburgh and Glasgow are “legal to the highest extent of the law” and said the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 is outdated.
He added: “If we ever got taken to court for something like this, we’d appeal the case to the High Court and then the UK Supreme Court. Then it would go to the EU Supreme Court. They’d chuck the case out like a rotten tomato.”
Police said: “Anyone selling cannabis flowers is committing an offence. We’d encourage vendors to make sure they know exactly what they are selling.”
