text: For people that like their dating chilled out, an app that’s been dubbed ‘Tinder for marijuana users’ has just gone global. Called High There!, the app is officially described as the world’s first global social network for cannabis enthusiasts. The network is designed to let users meet one another online to make friends and form relationships without being judged for their habit or views. The High There! app is  described as the world’s first global social network of cannabis enthusiasts. Users share their interests (left) and energy levels when using cannabis (right) as part of their profile . When High There! first launched two months ago, it could only be downloaded by users in the US who live in states that have legalised cannabis. But now it’s available globally via Apple’s App Store and Google Play, after getting approval to widen its reach. The app quickly became popular in New York, California and Colorado, with 41,000 downloads in the first six weeks and it’s expected to a hit in the Netherlands, Spain, England and Australia, Forbes reported. Users swipe to choose to connect to people - like in the popular dating app Tinder. When High There! first launched two months ago, it could only be downloaded by users in the US who live in states that have legalised cannabis (a joint is pictured) but a global version was rolled out yesterday . The medicinal properties of hemp are being used by pet owners to treat their cats and dogs. Hemp is legal and unlike cannabis, contains little tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the psychoactive chemical that produces the cannabis high. There are a rising number of firms in the US that sell biscuits containing cannabidiol extracted from hemp, believed to alleviate joint pains, treat mood disorders and even help animals lose weight. Research has also suggested that CBD can relieve pain and discomfort in dying pets and calm animals down. Canna Companion, based in Sultan in Washington, uses hemp from the Cannabis sativa strain in its capsules and biscuits for both cats and dogs. 'Due in part to their small body size, dogs and cats can take advantage of small amounts of CBD, THC and other cannabinoids found in hemp and can therefore reap the benefits of this great plant,' the firm said. 'We are not interested in, nor are we advocating the administration of, the well-known psychotropic compound THC, in concentrations sufficient to produce the 'high' or psychotropic effects which are normally associated with marijuana. 'We are not advocating the administration of marijuana, by any route, to animals in order to produce medical benefit or to produce any psychotropic effect.' The firm writes on the App Store: 'Chat with your connections and invite your friends who also want to engage in shared experiences within a non-judgmental environment. 'You can use High There! to date, go out with new friends, or simply connect with people who are like you. As we say, “You've got more friends than you think.”' Denver-based Founder and CEO of High There! Todd Mitchem, said that the app doesn’t encourage the sale of marijuana but is simply a social network for people who consider it part of their lifestyle. It deletes the accounts of people who post photos of the drug in their profile picture and takes down images of marijuana in their picture section. Despite the measures, Mr Mitchem said he was surprised that the app was allowed to go global. Writing on the High There! blog, he said: ‘This news was a surprise, but the allowance was made because we are a responsible social network and because we focus on building connections rather than just showing off your weed.’ He’s a former Chief Revenue Officer of hash oil maker, O.penVAPE and says that 12 million people use some form of the drug, meaning that there is a real opportunity to connect users on a social network. His motivation for rolling out the app widely is personal too, because his mother used the drug to battle cancer, which Mr Mitchem claims saved her life. ‘To you, that mother just like mine, fighting cancer in a state where the stigma still exists around weed, High There! is here for you. His motivation for rolling out the app globally (illustrated with this image) is personal for Mr Mitchem, because his mother used to drug to battle cancer, which he claims saved her life . The app deletes the accounts of people who post photos of the drug in their profile picture and takes down images of marijuana (a stock image is shown) in their picture section . ‘To all of you in states where cannabis is now legal, High There! is definitely here for you too! ‘And to the countless women and men who simply want to meet other like-minded, amazing people in a non-judgmental way, High There! is here for you also.’ The app has been likened to Tinder, which also lets users swipe through prospective friends and partners. At its regional launch, Mashable reported that Mr Mitchem created the app after women didn’t find him appealing on conventional dating sites, because he smokes cannabis. ‘We wanted to build a cool piece of technology that solved the problem of where do million and millions of cannabis consumers go to meet people, connect with people and build relationships,’ he said. ‘A lot of people say we’re the Tinder of weed, but that’s only one facet of the whole thing. It’s so much bigger. He says the network is actually primarily designed for platonic connections. ‘As we open the platform to the entire planet, I am certain meeting new like-minded people will take on some exciting new paths,’ he added.
target: HighThere! app is the world's first social network for cannabis enthusiasts .
  App lets people swipe profiles to start conversations, like Tinder .
  It began life limited to US states were cannabis is legal, but is now global .
  Denver-based founder insists High There is more than a dating site .