Message 001
Communication from the Commission - TRIS/(2024) 0353
Directive (EU) 2015/1535
Notification: 2024/0067/CZ
Notification of a draft text from a Member State
Notification – Notification – Notifzierung – Нотификация – Oznámení – Notifikation – Γνωστοποίηση – Notificación – Teavitamine – Ilmoitus – Obavijest – Bejelentés – Notifica – Pranešimas – Paziņojums – Notifika – Kennisgeving – Zawiadomienie – Notificação – Notificare – Oznámenie – Obvestilo – Anmälan – Fógra a thabhairt
Does not open the delays - N'ouvre pas de délai - Kein Fristbeginn - Не се предвижда период на прекъсване - Nezahajuje prodlení - Fristerne indledes ikke - Καμμία έναρξη προθεσμίας - No abre el plazo - Viivituste perioodi ei avata - Määräaika ei ala tästä - Ne otvara razdoblje kašnjenja - Nem nyitja meg a késéseket - Non fa decorrere la mora - Atidėjimai nepradedami - Atlikšanas laikposms nesākas - Ma jiftaħx il-perijodi ta’ dewmien - Geen termijnbegin - Nie otwiera opóźnień - Não inicia o prazo - Nu deschide perioadele de stagnare - Nezačína oneskorenia - Ne uvaja zamud - Inleder ingen frist - Ní osclaíonn sé na moilleanna
MSG: 20240353.EN
1. MSG 001 IND 2024 0067 CZ EN 09-02-2024 CZ NOTIF
2. Czechia
3A. Úřad pro technickou normalizaci, metrologii a státní zkušebnictví
Biskupský dvůr 1148/5
110 00 Praha 1
tel: 221 802 212
e-mail: eu9834@unmz.cz
3B. Ministerstvo zdravotnictví České republiky,
Palackého náměstí 4,
128 01 Praha 2
e-mail: mzcr@mzcr.cz
4. 2024/0067/CZ - C00C - CHEMICALS
5. Draft Government Regulation amending Government Regulation No 463/2013 on schedules of addictive substances, as amended
6. Psychotropic substances included in Schedule I under the Convention on Psychotropic Substances and other psychotropic or narcotic substances or their analogues scheduled due to abuse or possible danger to the health of the Czech Republic's population.
7.
8. It is proposed that Annex 4 to Government Regulation No 463/2013 on schedules of addictive substances shall be extended to include three more addictive substances. These are hexahydrocannabinol (HHC), hexahydrocannabinol-O-acetate (HHC-acetate, HHC-O) and tetrahydrocannabiphorol (THCP).
As a result, the amendment to the Annexes to the Government Regulation leads to regime changes in the legal treatment of the substances concerned, which affect, for example, permits to handle these substances, record keeping, storage as well as the regime of dispensing of these addictive substances. In addition to the above, the amendments to the Annex to the Government Regulation also impacts criminal law as illegal handling of these substances may be classified as a misdemeanour or criminal offence.
Keywords:
new systhetic drugs,
psychotropic substances,
addictive substances,
control regime of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances.
9. Hexahydrocannabinol (HHC), Hexahydrocannabinol-O-acetate (HHC-acetate, HHC-O) and tetrahydrocannabiphorol (THCP) are proposed for the schedule of addictive substances due to the rapid onset of their availability on the open market in the Czech Republic, especially due to their occurrence among the juvenile population. For HHC and THCP, a permitted content limit of 0.3% is proposed so as not to restrict trade in industrial hemp and preparations thereof.
The main problem currently lies in the sale of 'edibles', i.e. foods or snacks containing a psychoactive substance, in this case HHC, HHC-acetate, HHC-O or THCP. They are sold in the form of gummy bears, chocolate, cookies, beverages, etc. The effect of cannabinoids commences 30 minutes to 1 hour from ingestion; this delayed effect results in cases of intoxication. HHC is almost absent in natural cannabis varieties (around 0.1% content), hence it is produced semi-synthetically from cannabidiol (CBD) and this concentrated form is then sold either sprayed on industrial hemp buds or added to the aforementioned edibles. Concentrates being sold thus have HHC content as high as 50-70%.
According to data from the European Database of New Drugs, HHC is already a controlled substance in 12 countries: Belgium, Denmark, France, Croatia, Italy, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Austria, Poland, Finland, Iceland.
10. References to basic texts: 2023/0230/CZ,2022/0314/CZ
The basic texts were forwarded within an earlier notification:
2023/0230/CZ
2022/0314/CZ
11. Yes
12. The Toxicology Information Centre, from June 2022 to 4. 2. 2024, has recorded more than 170 cases of intoxication by the aforementioned substances, involving mostly children and adolescents. However, the situation in the Czech Republic has deteriorated significantly over the past two months. In January 2024 alone, eight cases of HHC overdose of children and adolescents already occurred in the Karlovy Vary Region, with at least one child being hospitalised in the Karlovy Vary hospital’s intensive care unit.
In Plzeň, eleven children were treated in connection with HHC over the past quarter-year. However, overdoses do not only involve children, one adult woman even had to be connected to pulmonary ventilation, and last weekend three adults ended up in intensive care units. Children and adolescents use these substances mainly in the form of gummy bears, which are sold under the designation of 'collector’s items' and can also be purchased through vending machines. Emergency services have also already been called due intoxicated primary school pupils.
13. No
14. No
15. Yes
16.
TBT aspects: No
SPS aspects: No
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European Commission
Contact point Directive (EU) 2015/1535
email: grow-dir2015-1535-central@ec.europa.eu
