A CBD shop has been opened across the street from a secondary school in the Brussels municipality of Anderlecht as there are no legal means to prevent it.
CBD (cannabidiol) is a nonpsychoactive compound, meaning it does not produce to 'high' feeling associated with weed containing THC (tetrahydrocannabinol), and selling it in Belgium is completely legal.
"We were worried when this was announced, but we do not have regulations in place that allow us to forbid such a shop being located right across the street from a school," said Elke Roex, Alderman for commerce, to Bruzz.
In the city of Mechelen, it is not allowed to open a CBD shop in a radius of 500 metres around a school. In Leuven, that radius has to be 1000 metres.
However, teenagers seldom show interest in CBD, according to Stephane Leclerq from Fedito, the Brussels federation of institutions for addicts. "Young people that consume cannabis are mostly looking for the illegal kind. That is weed containing THC, the psychoactive substance that influences your brain. CBD has a much lighter effect," said Leclerq to Bruzz.
"We have to study examples from other municipalities, so that we can come to a legally binding solution. We will also have to go and speak to all organisations that work with tobacco, alcohol and other addictions, to get a look at what would be a good solution according to them," said Roex.
Maïthé Chini
The Brussels Times
