Hamilton Academical, who compete in the top flight of Scottish football, have defended their decision to accept a stadium sponsorship deal from a company which sells cannabis-related health products.
New Douglas Park will be known as HopeCBD Stadium after a “five-figure sum” was agreed to secure stadium sponsorship rights. The deal will promote the sale of products containing cannabidiol, a non-psychoactive substance produced from cannabis plants.
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The club say the partnership is “within the ethos of Hamilton Academical.” Products will be available for purchase at the stadium.
“We are proud to be at the forefront of a positive and progressive partnership with CBD providers such as Hope CBD,” read a statement posted on the club’s official website.
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“The very word 'cannabis' strikes the concerns of law breaking and addiction issues, but the facts surrounding CBD are much different.
"CBD is sold as a food supplement and no medical claims can be made. So why all the fuss?
"It is well known that we are great ambassadors in supporting people and families in recovery from many addictions and are active in reaching out to the community to help those in recovery.”
Cannabis-related health products is a growing industry in several parts of the world. The UK government announced recently that medical cannabis use will be available via doctor’s prescription from the autumn.