CBD marijuana has arrived in our city, marked by a certain legal vacuum, with the opening of numerous businesses, many of them resembling souvenir shops.
The cannabis sector has been emerging in Barcelona for some time now with the opening of numerous CBD stores. These establishments, protected by a ruling from the Court of Justice of the European Union, sell products rich in cannabidiol, the relaxing component of marijuana, and with a minimal concentration of THC, which produces the psychotropic effects.
While more and more shops of this type are appearing, their windows display all kinds of creams, oils, infusions, and edibles based on this cannabis component, along with a large selection of the most diverse items apparently related to marijuana.
Thus, in a matter of months, countless shops supposedly specializing in "trendy marijuana" have appeared on our city's street maps. Many of these businesses are an evolution of grow shops, places that used to sell marijuana seeds, but with a wider range of products, cooler and more sophisticated, and with a good dose of marketing: T-shirts, ashtrays, pipes, caps, vapes, and much more.
The reality is that CBD-based products continue to multiply, as do businesses dedicated to them. The doubts generated by the lack of clear regulation of the industry mean that, despite the hopes placed on the business, caution is paramount.
Many of the managers of these stores believe that the lack of clear legislation is "a brake" on the development of their businesses.
Regarding sales, they assert that, despite the loyalty of local customers, the flow and contribution of foreign customers is very important, hence why many of these businesses are located primarily in central locations with a guaranteed influx of tourists.
This somewhat uncontrolled proliferation of this type of business led Barcelona City Council, in July 2024, to suspend licenses for opening new CBD stores in the central district of Ciutat Vella, where several merchants had complained about the proliferation of these establishments in one of the most touristic areas of the city.
This measure, approved in this The first year of Jaume Collboni's term will be valid for one year and may be extended for another year. During this time, the municipal executive must address the issue with clear regulations.
For all the above, in the opinion of many experts, while not denying that some of these stores offer quality products and are managed by people knowledgeable in the sector, a large number of these businesses are merely classified as "cannabis souvenir shops for tourists," lacking the rigor and knowledge to advise and sell certain products, such as CBD oils, to people who come to them looking for specific products to treat a particular ailment.
Beyond beauty products, according to several studies, CBD has multiple beneficial properties such as improved sleep, muscle recovery, and reduction of pain and inflammation. In fact, in 2018, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) removed cannabidiol from its list of prohibited substances. Since then, many people who practice sports have admitted to using it in oils for the recovery of their injuries.
Consequently, the same experts advise, first going to a specialized medical center, or failing that, to any Cannabis Association, to receive information about the most appropriate product for our needs.
Cannabis lite
Of all the CBD products currently on the market, the one gaining the most popularity is undoubtedly cannabis lite. This is regular marijuana, that is, buds, but instead of containing high levels of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), as is usually the case, they contain only a trace amount that rarely exceeds 1%. Therefore, this high-CBD marijuana does not cause mental effects such as euphoria or psychedelia.
Thus, at MARISANA, in our continuous effort to improve the services we provide to our members, we also offer marijuana with very high levels of CBD and low levels of THC, which sparks the interest of an audience that seeks a more medicinal and therapeutic component in the plant than a recreational or recreational one.
