A Canadian company has found a unique new market for medical marijuana - dogs.
True Leaf International introduced hemp-based pet products in 2015, and have grown their business to sell chews and oils in 1600 North American stores and 300 locations across Europe.
The products are primarily hemp seed-infused oils and chews for dogs, designed to ease joint pain, anxiety and inflammation.
"People are spending more money to look after their pets, specifically as they get older," chief executive Darcy Bomford told Bloomberg.
"A lot of the drugs that are available in the veterinary market are effective... but they also have a lot of side effects. There's a big market there for natural products."
Mr Bomford says the goal is to raise funds to build a large scale marijuana production facility in British Columbia, with the goal of extracting 'cannabinoids' from marijuana plants.
Cannabinoids are cannabis compounds without psychoactive properties, which can be used to treat a wide range of medical conditions in both humans and animals with minimal side effects.
Mr Bomford told Bloomberg his business is focused on making the quality of life for pets as good as possible, particularly those that are aging and struggling with daily activities.
"We're trying to return the love we get from our pets."
Newshub.
