Starting from Monday: Sale of cannabis flowers in Trafik shops
Starting Monday, "Trafiken" shops in Austria will begin selling cannabis flowers legally, provided that the THC concentration does not exceed 0.3%. Any product with a higher concentration remains prohibited and is classified as illegal narcotics. In comparison, psychoactive strains contain THC levels ranging from 5% to 25%, meaning that the products offered at "Trafiken" will not induce euphoria or psychoactive effects.
The decision came after a court ruling against a trader from Vorarlberg, who had imported large quantities of dried cannabis flowers from Switzerland, which led to the customs authority in "Feldkirch" demanding him to pay about 30,000 euros as tobacco tax. The trader resorted to the judiciary claiming that cannabis is not a tobacco product, but the court ruled that the tobacco tax law includes all materials intended for smoking, which resulted in the legal sale of these products being restricted to "Trafiken" shops.
The Austrian Ministry of Finance hopes that this step will contribute to reducing the budget deficit, with expectations that these sales will generate between 10 and 15 million euros annually. In this context, the owners of "Trafiken" have prepared over the past six months through training courses and webinars across Austria. Barbara Mansberger, chairwoman of the "Trafikanten" committee in the state of "Steiermark," explained that there is a great interest in educating sellers about the laws and regulations related to the new products.
Otmar Schvarzenbohler, the president of the "Trafiken" traders' association in the Chamber of Commerce, emphasized the importance of vendors being aware of what they are allowed to say to customers and what they are not, especially since these products are often used for medical purposes. He warned that giving any medical advice without legal qualifications could expose them to liability under drug laws.
The demand for these products is expected to be limited at first, with the owners of 'Trafiken' keen to assess the situation before expanding their offerings. Prices are set to be predetermined, with a bag containing two grams of cannabis flowers to be sold for around 19 euros.