×
GreekEnglish

×
  • Politics
  • Diaspora
  • World
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Cooking
Saturday
02
May 2026
weather symbol
Athens 12°C
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • World
  • Diaspora
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Mediterranean Cooking
  • Weather
Contact follow Protothema:
Powered by Cloudevo
> World

How California’s legal cannabis dream became a public health nightmare

It's led to spiraling addiction, psychotic illnesses and hospitals facing a deluge of poisonings

Newsroom July 5 04:00

A row of luxury ‘healing’ creams is guarded by a locked glass cabinet, gilded in gold trim.

The packaging is stylishly minimal – clean and white with small black typeface – and beside the tubs sit decorative, artificial fruit and images of sprawling fields, with a small flyer to remind customers of the high-quality, organic nature of the products.

I spot one pot – a snip at $43, or roughly £35 – that is specifically designed for ‘replenishing and rejuvenating’ tissues in the, er, vagina. Alongside me, expensively dressed customers peruse the goods, clutching colourful iced smoothies and juices.

I’m in upmarket Beverly Hills in Los Angeles, California, in one of the area’s many so-called ‘wellness’ shops, just a stone’s throw from designer boutiques such as Gucci and Saint Laurent. It’s a far cry from Holland & Barrett, not least because all the products here at the Serra boutique contain high-grade, genetically engineered cannabis.

See Also:

World War II Warship Discovered in Deep Waters

>Related articles

Partial climbdown by Iran: Says “yes” to negotiations without lifting the naval blockade, puts nuclear issues and the opening of Hormuz on the table

Iran submits new proposal to US to end the war

1.7 million euros would be made by the circuit from the half ton of skunk found in Igoumenitsa

There are balms and lotions, things to eat and, of course, to smoke. One display cabinet showcases dozens of dried cannabis flowers, each bud sitting in its own pretty porcelain dish, labelled according to its supposed benefit: happiness, creativity, relaxation.

In another cabinet is a perfect grid of individual chocolate truffles, priced up to £5 a pop, a bit like something you’d find in the food hall in a department store. Only these sweet treats are laced with 10mg of THC, the psychoactive component in the marijuana plant.

Read more: Daily Mail

Ask me anything

Explore related questions

#california#cannabis#drugs#health#narcotics#nightmare#usa#world
> More World

Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news

See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr

> Latest Stories

Partial climbdown by Iran: Says “yes” to negotiations without lifting the naval blockade, puts nuclear issues and the opening of Hormuz on the table

May 2, 2026

The 5-year-old boy who had his finger amputated at a kindergarten in Evosmos was operated

May 1, 2026

Iran submits new proposal to US to end the war

May 1, 2026

Rain and strong winds bring a cooler start to May

May 1, 2026

New Euroepean pharmaceutical hub in Tripoli

May 1, 2026

1.7 million euros would be made by the circuit from the half ton of skunk found in Igoumenitsa

May 1, 2026

Eurovision 2026: 95,000 tickets already sold to fans from 75 countries

May 1, 2026

Heavy traffic on national highways as May Day weekend getaway continues – Delays also reported on Attiki Odos (Livefeed)

May 1, 2026
All News

> Greece

In reverence, the emotional deposition in Jerusalem, see photos & video

The Holy Temple of the Resurrection opened after many days due to the war between Israel and Iran

April 10, 2026

In the final stretch for the accreditation of joint master’s degrees: Aiming for their launch in the coming academic year

April 10, 2026

Schedule for Epitaph Procession today (10/4)

April 10, 2026

Perfect weather for Easter excursions, according to Tsatrafyllia’s forecast

April 10, 2026

Easter in Greece: The customs that continue in Greek tradition – From Nafpaktos to Corfu

April 10, 2026
Homepage
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY COOKIES POLICY TERM OF USE
Powered by Cloudevo
Copyright © 2026 Πρώτο Θέμα