Belgium: the next destination for cannabis light

After Switzerland, Italy and France, it's now Belgium's turn to see the development of shops selling «light» cannabis, with less than 0.2% THC.

According to RTL Info, A store will soon open in Mont-sur-Marchienne, Wallonia, along the same lines as those recently opened in France.

«It's hemp, which is legalized throughout Europe, and also legalized via a ministerial decree from 2011. It's similar to cannabis, but my product is to cannabis what grape juice is to red wine. There's no real psychotropic effect,» confided Maxence, creator of Grassman.be.

According to a criminal lawyer quoted by RTL Info, «there may be a difficulty, as Belgian law may not be in line with the European framework. So I think there's an urgent need to legislate in this area to make things clear for everyone». The Charleroi Public Prosecutor's Office has indicated, however, that if the products do fall within the scope of the law, there will be no objection to their sale.

CBD enjoys in Belgium a status comparable to CBD in France: not classified as a narcotic and derivatives are authorized as long as THC levels remain below 0.2%.

Belgium is currently considering legalize the medical use of cannabis, After an epileptic child was deprived of her cannabis oil, the only effective treatment to control her epileptic seizures.

A Belgian company has also undertook the creation of a medical cannabis plantation in Belgium, and is now just waiting for the green light to lay its first growing tables.