Mr NICE opens luxurious cannabis store in London

Best places in UK to buy CBD

Mr Nice opened in Soho, London at the weekend and bills itself as an upmarket modern cannabis destination. Selling everything from bath bombs to face creams and carefully curated cannabis accessories from around the world.

Xan Morgan, the chief executive of Equinox International, the international cannabis company behind the venture, plans to launch 10 Mr Nice stores across the UK.

Howard Marks posthumously celebrating the positive and legal side of cannabis culture

Howard Marks was a Welsh drug smuggler and author who achieved notoriety as an international cannabis smuggler. The former Oxford University student had alleged connections to M16, the IRA and the Mafia. Mr Nice is the autobiography of the former drug dealer which became an international bestseller. It was also made into a movie.

The late drugs baron is making a posthumous comeback to cash in on a booming legal trade in cannabis and CBD related products. Borrowing his most famous title, the first Mr Nice shop garnered a lot of media attention.

 

 

Howard Marks 📸 by Pattie Boyd. #haveaniceweekend #fridayfeeling #thankgoditsfriday #mrnice #mrnicelondon #howardmarks #pattieboyd #cbd #cannabis #thankyouforsmiling

A post shared by MR NICE (@mrnicelondon) on Mar 22, 2019 at 11:19am PDT

The first cannabis lifestyle shop in London

The Chief Executive told the Guardian: “We are selling clothes and products that celebrate the positive side of cannabis culture.” Amid an explosion in new products coming on the market, sales of CBD oil and CBD-infused water products are already thought to be close to €1bn a year in Europe.

Mr Nice has the blessing of Mark's daughter Amber Marks. The range includes handmade chillum pipes costing £180 as well as £70 bottles of organic dog CBD oil. The clothing range includes an £80 short-sleeved shirt emblazoned with a marijuana leaf print – based on one Marks was pictured wearing in Ibiza in the 1990s – and hoodies with secret pockets.

 

 

Our designer James Suckling – a ‘90s kid himself and infuenced by the era’s aesthetic – has set the tone as tongue in cheek. A number of garments contain concealed stash pockets and are all produced from the highest quality materials. The overall mood is of positivity, and, in line with brand ethos, never takes itself too seriously. #supportyourlocaldealer #mrnicelondon #opentomorrow #cbdoil #cbdproducts #niceapparel #streetwear #hoody #millionaireshirt #23noelstreet

A post shared by MR NICE (@mrnicelondon) on May 16, 2019 at 4:48am PDT

Optimism about CBD

Prohibition Partners, a cannabis industry research firm, thinks the global cannabis market could be worth up to €200bn annually by 2028 if countries continue to legalise medical and recreational cannabis. Within that timeframe it estimates the UK market would be worth €18.4bn, with the bulk of that value coming from the recreational market, which it puts at €9.6bn.

Prohibition Partners’ Eoin Keenan said that cannabis products were increasingly becoming part of the mainstream. “The UK is a relatively slow mover in the grand scheme of the international cannabis market but CBD is entering the mainstream here with products retailing at Holland & Barrett, Sainsbury’s and Planet Organic.”

The excitement around the potential for CBD has been most notable in the food and drink sectors, with Coca-Cola revealing last year that it was it looking at developing a range of cannabis-infused beverages to help ease physical problems such as inflammation, pain and cramps.

Other firms looking for a piece of the action include the Corona beer maker Constellation Brands, which has invested in the Canadian cannabis group Canopy Growth, while Diageo, the drinks giant behind Guinness and Johnny Walker whisky, is also reported to be exploring investment opportunities in the sector. Mr Nice could become Mr Big.

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