When sisters Michel’le and Kalyn Cannonier started Uplift, a store selling cannabidiol and hemp-derived products, they struggled to find a suitable rental property.

“There was a lot of stigma because of the industry we were in,” Kalyn said. “Landlords said they did not want anything to do with it.”

They started out selling at Harbour Nights before they opened the first store on Burnaby Street in Hamilton in September 2022.

“All we could get was a small location,” Kalyn said. “It is like a closet.”

Times have changed. CBD products are now widely available in Bermuda pharmacies, and people are more willing to rent to them.

On Friday, the Cannoniers opened their second location, The Uplift Experience at 133 Front Street, with triple the space. Their Burnaby Street outlet remains open.

The business was older sister Michel’le’s idea. She developed long Covid headaches after catching Covid-19 three times.

“I was going through a bottle of Tylenol every two weeks,” she said.

She found gummies and CBD oil overseas that worked, and realised there was a gap in the market.

Since opening Uplift, they have seen their products help others with health issues.

“We had a woman come in with stage three cancer. Her doctor told her to come in. This was her last resort. She had no appetite and was thin. Now, she is putting on weight and is in remission.”

In the new space they now sell a range of items including decorative bongs, cannabidiol and hemp-derived oils and teas, cookbooks, hemp clothing, art and drinks.

“Legally, we are allowed to sell items with under 1 per cent tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, in CBD products under the Misuse of Drugs (Hemp) Amendment Act 2019,” Kalyn explained. “THC is not the only cannabinoid that can get you high. It is the cannabinoid that is most widely known, but there are over 100 different cannabinoids.”

They have sought extensive opinion to ensure the legality of their business.

“We would not be able to operate if it was illegal,” she said. “This is the very education we seek to spread, as many are misinformed and do not understand cannabis.”

At conventions, the Cannoniers often find themselves outnumbered by men.

“Women represent less than 4 per cent of the cannabis space,” Kalyn said. “We see that in any sector, across any jurisdiction.”

There is also an advocacy angle to their work.

“A lot of the laws surrounding cannabis affect Black and Brown people the most,” Ms Cannonier said. “They are the ones most likely to be incarcerated for cannabis-related crimes.”

Uplift is working on a campaign to educate people about their legal rights in relation to cannabis.

Kalyn said: “A lot of people don’t know that you can get your record expunged — now that it has been decriminalised, if it was for an amount under seven grams, or clearly not intended for supply.”

The business does not cater to anyone under 21, and demand proof of age.

“In other shops, the age is 18,” she said. “There have been studies that show that cannabis can have a negative impact on adolescent minds, although it is not across the board. We just don’t deal with teens.”