Cops are dishing out free CANNABIS vapes to medical users when neighbours complain about the smell from smoking drugs

POLICE are dishing out free cannabis vapes to medical users, it is claimed.

They keep stocks of the herbal inhalers to give to people when their neighbours complain about the smell from smoking drugs.

It is part of a trial intended to stop medical users being evicted for causing a nuisance and to get them to switch to the vapes, which are safer than joints.

Cancard, a group that provides medical users with an ID card recognised by police so they are not arrested for possession, is behind the scheme.

Founder Carly Barton, 36, said: “It means that an intervention can be made without criminalisation or affecting a vulnerable person’s tenancy.”

More than a million people are thought to use cannabis for chronic pain and depression.

Its medical use was legalised in 2018 but NHS prescriptions are limited.

Many turn to smoking the drug — but the smell is often a nuisance to neighbours, especially in blocks of flats.

Ex-arts lecturer Carly said the smell from vapes did not linger as long or travel as far as smoke.

She told : “We always advise that the patient use a medical inhaler or vaporiser.

“Whilst smoking cannabis is much safer than smoking tobacco, the smoke from cannabis still contains cancer-causing toxins.

“Vapour does not contain tar or carbon monoxide and is much healthier.”