Barcelona increases pressure on cannabis stores with a ban on candy sales

BarcelonaMore pressure on cannabis shops in Barcelona The Ministry of Health's nationwide ban on the sale and distribution of sweets made with semi-synthetic cannabis derivatives—the substance is obtained from the plant, but modified in a laboratory—has increased surveillance of these businesses, which the City Council has long had its sights set on. This Friday, the Deputy Mayor for Security, Albert Batlle, and the Councilor for Health, Marta Villanueva, explained that the council will strengthen inspections of establishments to prevent the sale of these sweets and will request clarification from the Prosecutor's Office and the Ministry in order to take some cases to criminal court.

The order from the Ministry of Health, published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) of April 22, prohibits the sale of this type of product. As the ARA advanced, the composition of these sweets makes them a danger to public health. The reason? THCP, a molecule from the cannabis plant that began to be detected in some products before the pandemic, has caused around twenty hospitalizations in 2024 at the Hospital Clínic in Barcelona alone. In most cases (58%), those affected were middle-aged tourists who had purchased these products as souvenirs.

Cannabis sweets do not contain the active ingredients of the narcotic substance, but do contain other semi-synthetic derivatives that can cause similar or, sometimes, more pronounced effects. In a conversation with ARA, the head of the Toxicology Unit at Hospital Clínic, Emilio Salgado, explained that THCP "is between 10 and 15 times more potent than THC, the active psychotropic ingredient in marijuana."

Now, with the ministry's ban in hand, Barcelona City Council has passed a mayoral decree increasing inspections in all districts of establishments that may sell these products to detect and punish their sale. The inspections are carried out jointly with the Public Health Agency and the City Police. Currently, the council estimates there are around 100 establishments selling these types of products.

Exploring criminal proceedings

However, the City Council's intention is to go further, allowing this order to allow not only administrative proceedings against these businesses, but also criminal proceedings in some cases. Therefore, Batlle explained that he has contacted the Prosecutor's Office and the Ministry of Health to clarify in what cases—for what types of products and quantities—criminal proceedings can be initiated if the sale of these sweets is detected.

Last year, inspection services carried out 45 inspections in 30 establishments of this type. Of the total, 15 were conducted for alert investigations and nine for poisoning from the consumption of cannabis sweets. These inspections resulted in 15 disciplinary proceedings and eight notifications to other administrations.

In addition to these inspections, Barcelona is currently working to permanently restrict the opening of these types of businesses in the Ciutat Vella district. This is a new special urban development plan for the regulation of public activities, food stores, tourist services, and other activities in Ciutat Vella and La Rambla. Since July, and until this new plan is definitively approved, the City Council has suspended the granting of licenses for the opening of new cannabis stores.