The ban on the sale of HHC did not limit the offer in vending machines. But it offers customers other goods

The newly offered goods are not on the list of prohibited substances. But it has the same or similar effects, experts warn. Sales of HHC checked on behalf of the government hygiene station.

In the region in March, hygiene carried out 144 targeted inspections. “They focused on products under the supervision of public health authorities, which are cosmetics, electronic cigarettes and herbal products intended for smoking. Electronic cigarette and tobacco stores, e-shops, internet marketplaces, advertisement servers, vending machines located in various places of shopping centers, arcades and public spaces were checked,” described the spokeswoman of the Regional Hygiene Station of the Olomouc Region, Markéta Koutná.

According to the hygiene announcement, inspectors discovered goods with declared HHC content at only four sellers. “We immediately forwarded the findings to the police for investigation, as it is a suspicion of the commission of a crime,” said Koutná, adding that controls focused on prohibited substances will continue.

“Collectibles” stronger than marijuana

The editors of iDNES.cz mapped the offer in brick-and-mortar specialized stores and in vending machines in Olomouc, Přerov and Prostějov, which remained in operation after the ban was announced.

Most often, these are products containing the substances HHC-P, HHCPO, CBD, H4CBD or CBG9. Some sellers also offer THC products with a concentration below the legal standard.

In fact, according to an analysis by the University of Chemistry and Technology in Prague for MF DNES, HHC-P can be up to thirty times stronger than marijuana. You can also buy kratom in vending machines, which has been the subject of numerous discussions about its inclusion on the list of prohibited substances.

However, the Ministry of Health ultimately did not attach it to the same proposal for a ban, the subject of which were the substances HHC, HHC-O and THCP. The offered products are further referred to as collector’s items or goods intended for technical or laboratory use.

“Products with HHC very quickly, roughly within a week or two, replaced products with different names. They are very similar to the original HHC, but they have a different chemical formula, for example, the way they are modified and produced is different,” said David Bezdomnikov, deputy director for the Olomouc region and head of addiction services at Podané ruce.

“Typologically, these should be substances with a very similar effect, however, we also have a big problem in finding out what kind of products these are,” pointed out Bezdomnikov.

According to him, the users of these products are forced to try the substance, and only then will they find out what its effects and intensity are, and they may even risk an unpleasant experience.

“It is still true that there is basically no recommended dosage, which we could observe, for example, with the much-discussed gummy bears. It is not decided how the substances are concentrated or how they should be used, no one checks the quality of the goods sold. For example, mold appears in some products,” added Bezdomnikov.

“Prohibitions can attract young applicants”

Bezdomnikov pointed out that young people and teenagers often experiment with substances containing synthetic cannabinoids and the like, who are often unaware of the risks they are exposing themselves to.

“It is good not to make the topic a complete taboo or ban, because it will rather become an attractive activity. It is important not to combine substances with anything else, for example with alcohol, not to experiment with any products from unverified sources,” said the expert in addiction.

“If I have the need to experiment, never alone and only in a safe environment, where there is someone who has not taken anything at that moment and will call for help if anything goes wrong,” he recommended.

At the same time, according to him, it is necessary to regulate the availability of these substances so that people under the age of 18 do not get access to them. Some shoppers, whom MF DNES spoke to at the machines, consider the ban to be excessive, and are giving new products a chance.

“I don’t understand why such a scene is being made about it. Everyone says that children buy it, but I don’t know about anything like that. If someone shows me that this is so, then it’s probably not right, but I think it’s mainly adults who shop here,” said a customer at the vending machine in the Zlatá brána shopping center in Prostejov, who did not wish to disclose his name.

“It’s their choice. What you get here is nothing to turn a person off, it’s relaxation. I don’t think it should be banned when you can get much worse stuff elsewhere,” he says.

A man in his thirties does not hesitate to commute several tens of kilometers from his place of residence to shop in Prostějov. Prostějov was the first city in the region that decided to take action against the sale of cannabis products and addictive substances, some shopping centers in Přerov reported vending machines.

The management of Prostějov negotiated with the owners of private premises and shopping centers and tried to convince them to terminate the contracts of tenants operating vending machines and specialized stores.

Where they have remained, city representatives at least continue to monitor the situation. According to Jana Gáborová, the spokeswoman for Prostějov, the local police checked the presence of currently prohibited substances and found that they were not in the vending machines.