Police inspect 'grow shops' in Barcelona after ban on cannabis-infused sweets

Barcelona's Guàrdia Urbana police have inspected 35 different 'grow shops' in the Catalan capital for cannabis-infused sweets or related products after a ban came recently into force.

Police participated in the deployment after the Barcelona city council announced a plan to intensify patrols of cannabis-related stores after Spain's health ministry came into force.

The goal was to "understand what is being sold at the moment in the market," Guàrdia Urbana spokesperson Benito Granados told media outlets. Aside from law enforcement agents, there were 25 members of Barcelona's Public Health Agency.

Granados also mentioned that these products with "innocuous appearances" are a health threat, and many people "could not know what they are actually consuming."

Experts also warned that these cannabis-infused sweets have a high capacity of provoking an addiction in consumers.

Tourist souvenirs

The Clinical Toxicology Unit at Barcelona's Hospital Clínic reported in April that cases of poisoning linked to cannabis-infused sweets have doubled in the past two years, with 24 cases recorded in 2024 alone.

In most instances – 58% – the affected individuals were middle-aged female tourists who had purchased the products as souvenirs from cannabis shops.

The hospital warned of a lack of regulation over these sweets containing lab-modified substances, which were being sold legally. The health ministry's new regulation is intended to close that regulatory gap.

Filling the Sink

Filling the Sink investigated the uses of medical marijuana, a controversial plant, in contemporary medicine, discovering its effects, benefits, and contraindications.

Despite its popularity as a recreational drug, cannabis has also been used throughout history to relieve pain and aid relaxation.

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