Leazes Bark

05/11/2026

05/11/2026

YES, MEDICAL CANNABIS PATIENTS CAN LEGALLY V**E THEIR MEDICATION IN PUBLIC 💚

Something I get asked quite regularly is whether medical cannabis patients are actually allowed to use their medication when they’re out in public.

And the answer is yes, although there are a few things worth knowing.

Medical cannabis has been legal on prescription in the UK since November 2018, and patients can legally vaporise their prescribed medication outside their homes.

I think a lot of the confusion comes from people not understanding the difference between smoking cannabis and using a medical vaporiser.

Smoking prescribed cannabis is actually prohibited under the regulations, whereas vaporising it as directed by your prescriber is permitted.

Obviously, that doesn’t mean you can just walk into Elton square and start puffing away down the aisle 😂

Businesses and venues can have their own rules, although they may also have responsibilities to make reasonable adjustments for disabled patients.

I’ve always said that a bit of common sense and communication goes a long way.

Personally, I’d recommend keeping your medication in its original packaging, having your ID and prescription details handy and being prepared to explain things if someone asks.

One thing I’d love to see change is the assumption that anyone using a dry herb vaporiser in public must automatically be doing something illegal.

There are thousands of legitimate medical cannabis patients in the UK who rely on their prescriptions to manage their health conditions, and some of those people need to medicate throughout the day.

They shouldn’t have to stay at home just because their medication happens to be cannabis.

That’s another reason why Medical Cannabis Awareness Week is so important. There’s still a massive amount of information that the general public simply isn’t aware of.

I’m interested to hear from other patients on this one. Have you ever been approached or challenged while va**ng your prescription in public? Or have people generally been understanding?

Let me know your experiences in the comments, and give this a share if you can. You never know who might learn something from it 👊🏼💚

05/11/2026

🐾❤️ BONFIRE NIGHT — PLEASE THINK OF THE PETS ❤️🐾

It’s a horrible night for so many of our doggies. Seeing them shaking, hiding and frightened by the bangs is heartbreaking. They don’t understand what’s happening. 💔

The sooner we move towards drone displays and quieter, low-noise fireworks, the better as far as I’m concerned. You can have a cracking display without those enormous bangs terrifying animals.

A few things to help keep your dogs safe and settled tonight:

🐕 Get walks done before dark, well before the fireworks start.

🏡 Keep them indoors during displays. Secure doors, windows and garden gates, and check their microchip details are up to date.

🛋️ Make a cosy hiding place with their favourite bedding. Let them hide if they want to — don’t pull them out.

curtains closed, lights on and the telly or some gentle music playing can help soften the flashes and bangs.

❤️ Stay nearby and offer comfort if they come looking for it. It’s absolutely fine to reassure a frightened dog. Never tell them off for being scared.

🦴 Offer a familiar toy, chew or food puzzle if they’re interested, but don’t force it.

👩‍⚕️ If your dog is really struggling, ring your vet for advice about suitable treatment.

A word on C*D: please speak to your vet first rather than picking something off a shop shelf. C*D for pets needs a veterinary prescription in the UK, and the product and dose need to be checked for your dog.

Look after your four-legged bairns tonight, everyone. A little consideration makes a massive difference. 🖤🤍

HOWAY THE PETS 🐾

04/11/2026

🖤🤍 RIGHT, LET’S GET BACK TO SOME POSITIVITY! 🤍🖤

37,270 followers across Facebook and TikTok! 🤯🐾

Absolutely phenomenal support, man. That’s a massive crowd at St James’ Park! Imagine getting this little community up to a full stadium’s worth of followers… I’ll be absolutely buzzing. But right now, I’m chuffed to bits with this! 🏟️🙌

When I think about where I started just a couple of years ago, doing the markets and trying to get my little business known, it’s unbelievable how far things have come.

I’ve been battling my health throughout this journey, doing what I can even on the rough days, and somehow this page just keeps growing and growing. More people finding us, more lovely messages, more dogs wearing our gear. It’s class to see. ❤️

Every follow, every share, every recommendation and every person who walks through the shop door has helped get us here. I don’t take any of it for granted.

These last few days have been tough, but looking at that number has put a proper smile on my face. 37,274 followers supporting a little business I started with an idea and a love of dogs. Unbelievable, it really is.

Thank you, canny lads and lasses. You’ve given me something lovely to focus on today. 🖤🤍

HOWAY THE PETS! 🐾

04/11/2026

🖤🤍 SHOP UPDATE — BACK OPEN SATURDAY 🤍🖤

Canny lads and lasses, I’ve been suffering terribly with my condition since Monday as most of you know and this time I’m going to listen to everyone telling me to slow down and look after myself.

Around three years ago, I was told I’d probably need a wheelchair or some form of permanent walking aid by the time I was 50. I’m 46 next month, and what I’ve experienced these last few days has frightened me. It feels like things are moving quicker than I was prepared for.

When somebody tells you your condition is progressive, you know what they’re saying, but somewhere in your head you keep thinking, “That’s later on. I’ve still got time.”

Then you struggle to get your own legs to do what you’re asking them to do, and it suddenly feels very real. It’s been a massive wake-up call.

To put my heart and soul into getting the shop ready, have such a cracking launch on Sunday, then struggle to even get back over there has been absolutely soul-destroying. I was desperate to get going and enjoy everything I’d worked so hard for.

But I’m going to have to look at how I make this manageable. I’ll be looking into Access to Work and whether there’s support available to help me in the shop. I can’t afford to employ somebody myself at the minute, but I’m accepting that I need some help.

For now, I’m taking the next couple of days to rest and give my body a chance to settle. The plan is to be back open on Saturday, and we’ll take it from there. If my health changes that, I’ll keep you updated.

And honestly, thank you. I’ve had hundreds of messages of support, and they’ve meant so much while I’ve been feeling this low. ❤️

I know this is my business page, but I’ve always shared the highs and the lows. There’s a person behind this little shop, and these last few days have been bloody hard.

I still want to build this business and welcome you and your dogs through the door. I just need to start giving myself some care along the way.

Thank you for sticking with us. 🖤🤍🐾

03/11/2026

This is what CMT is doing to my feet—and why it affects so much more than how they look. 🖤

Sharing this is embarrassing for me, honestly. But if I’m going to raise awareness, I want people to understand what these changes actually mea
n.
The high arches—called pes cavus. This is where the arch is unusually high and doesn’t flatten normally when you put weight through your foot. It can concentrate pressure under the ball of the foot and along the outside edge. Standing and walking can become painful, and the foot and ankle can be less stable.

The curling toes. CMT can weaken the muscles unevenly, changing the balance of the pull around the foot and toes. Toes can develop a clawed or hammer-shaped position instead of sitting straight. Mine are curling more, and seeing that change in your own body is upsetting.

Bent toes can also rub against footwear and create painful pressure points. Finding shoes that fit comfortably can become a struggle.
The rock-hard skin under the balls of my feet. Repeated pressure can make the skin thicken into calluses. That hard skin is something I’m really struggling with. When the area you need to put weight through is already uncomfortable, every step can become an ordeal.

Weakness and difficulty lifting the feet. CMT can weaken the feet, ankles and lower legs. Some people develop foot drop, making it difficult to lift the front of the foot clear of the ground. That can mean catching your toes, stumbling or lifting your knees higher to avoid tripping.

Changes in feeling. The nerves that carry sensation can be affected too, causing numbness or altered feeling. Having less sensation doesn’t mean someone cannot also experience pain.

And then there’s the effect of walking differently, trying to keep your balance and compensating for weakness. It takes extra effort and can put strain on muscles and joints.

For me, the pain affects my feet, calves, shins, thighs, hamstrings, hips and back. It can be fu***ng monumental. A photograph cannot show you that pain, the exhaustion, or the concentration it sometimes takes just to move around.

It also cannot show what it does to your confidence when you start worrying about getting to work, managing the day or staying on your feet. Everyone with CMT is different. These problems don’t happen to everyone in exactly the same way. But this is why “sore feet” doesn’t come close to describing what I’m living with.

I want to keep my independence. I want to run my shop and enjoy the things I’ve worked so hard for. Watching my mobility change is frightening, and some days it really gets us down.

So I’m showing something I’d normally hide, hoping it helps people understand—and helps someone else feel less alone. 🖤🤍

03/11/2026

Sorry for all the posts yesterday about how I was feeling, everyone. I’m going through an absolute nightmare, and honestly, I’m struggling to get my head around it. 💔

I’ve just moved my shop further away, put my heart and soul into getting it ready, pushed through all the setbacks… and now this happens with my health. It feels so fu***ng unfair.

Walking is something I’ve struggled with for years, but this feels different. It’s like I’m telling my body to move and there’s a delay before it responds. Something as simple as taking a step feels frightening. I’ve never experienced it like this before, and it’s worrying the life out of me.

Then there’s everything going around in my head. How do I get to the shop when I can’t walk? What happens to everything I’ve worked so hard for? If I can’t get there to open, I lose takings, but the bills don’t stop. The shop means so much to me—my independence, my purpose, something I’ve built and poured myself into.

I’m sitting here feeling stuck, wondering what I’m supposed to do next. You try so hard to build something positive, then life throws another curveball at you. Sometimes you just want to shout, “Give us a bloody break.”

And about what I share on here—Facebook is my journal. It’s somewhere I can put my feelings into words and document my life. One day, my kids and grandkids can look back through it and see my journey: what I built, what I faced, and all the good moments along the way.

If the posts get on your t**s, you can unfollow. You don’t have to read them. But I’m going to keep being honest about my life, including days like this when I’m scared and haven’t got a clue what to do.

This is the side of disability people don’t always see. The fear when your body won’t do what you’re asking it to. The worry about work, money and your future, all while trying to get through the day.

I’m certainly going through the mill at the minute. To everyone who’s checked in, shown kindness or simply listened—thank you. It means a lot when you’re feeling this lost. 🖤🤍