I did not know that Jellies CBD, that is jelly with cannabis oil known as cannabis gummy, are sold without age restrictions at the kiosks in Greece and apparently Greek health authorities didn’t know that either or had not regulated accordingly to protect children.
Cannabis gummy will no longer be sold at kiosks, as it is “illegal,” health Minister Adonis Georgiadis announced on Monday, January 15, even before he legislated to declare them as “illegal.”
Cannabis gummies “must be withdrawn immediately” from the kiosks, Georgiadis warned stressing that “they are dangerous and contain a narcotic substance.”
Speaking to Action 24 TV, the health minister said that “one of the first decisions I signed was to make it clear that these cannabis gummies sold at the kiosks are dangerous and contain drugs.”
He added that the ministry has classified them as “narcotic substances.”
“These jellies are not for children to buy them and eat like chewing gum,” the minister stressed news website newsit.gr reported.
According to the related joint ministerial decision, all products containing the substance HHC (hexahydrocannabinol) – a substance contained in many products sold freely at kiosks to date – will be classified as narcotic substances.
With this decision, the substance hexahydrocannabinol (HHC) and its derivatives will be included in Table B of paragraph 2 of article 1 of Law 3459/2006 “Code of Laws on Drugs” as amended and in force with Law. 4139/13 “Law on addictive substances and other provisions”.
The decision is expected to be published in the Official Gazette in the next few days.
Note that CBD is allowed in Greece as long as its THC content does not exceed 0.2%.
The issue with edible cannabinoids concerns many European countries, while some of them have banned them or are now forced to take measures, reports news website newsit.gr
Great appeal to young people
Jellies and in general products with HHC are reportedly particularly popular among teenagers and students, who often fall also victims to the side effects.
A 20-year-old student landed in the hospital after he had consumer cannabis jellies he bought at a kiosk in Salamina, western Attica, in last November. With dizziness and vomiting, the young man was hospitalized.
However, youngsters seem to consume without control and knowledge quite some substances setting their lives in danger.
More or less in the same time in November 2023, three high school on Crete were found in semi-conscious condition in the toilets of the facility. The students, aged 14 and 15, were taken to the hospital where they admitted to have consumed nicotine sticks in order to quit smoking.
