Prague's 'fake weed' shops could face closure under new police powers

Czech police could soon be allowed to temporarily shut businesses selling dangerous products under a government-backed proposal aimed partly at shops offering questionable cannabinoid substances.

The cabinet backed legislation Monday that would allow police to close an entire business for up to 14 days when products sold there pose a serious threat to life or health and authorities believe sales could continue.

Prime Minister Andrej Babiš directly linked the measure to stores selling psychoactive substances, a growing concern in Prague's tourist center.

"That's exactly what I'm criticizing here: those shops selling strange substances that foreign tourists visit, and then end up in the intensive care unit," Babiš told reporters.

The proposal comes after a series of incidents involving cannabinoid products sold in Prague shops, often in brightly colored packaging and sometimes labeled as souvenirs, collectors' items or products not intended for consumption.

In August, doctors reported treating foreign tourists who became seriously ill after eating candy-like products labeled as containing THC. One Romanian tourist was admitted to intensive care after suffering impaired consciousness and repeated vomiting, while two Italian siblings were hospitalized the following day.

Prague paramedics said they were responding to cannabinoid intoxications several times a day, with foreign tourists accounting for a significant share of cases involving edible products.

The problem extends beyond tourists. Police said in June that synthetic cannabinoids and kratom were involved in 161 of 235 intoxication cases reported to them nationwide in 2026 at that point.

Prague-based YouTube channel Honest Guide has also drawn international attention to the city's cannabis-themed stores, warning tourists about misleading sales practices and products marketed in ways that can suggest conventional marijuana.

Under the proposed legislation, police could close a business after the Czech Trade Inspection Authority or another regulator determines that a product poses a serious health risk.

In urgent cases, officers could act before an expert assessment is completed if there are reasonable grounds to suspect a serious danger. A relevant supervisory authority would then have 48 hours to confirm the threat.

That provision has raised concerns among government legislative experts, who questioned whether police officers have sufficient expertise to judge the potential danger of unfamiliar products. They also warned that completing laboratory testing within 48 hours could be difficult, particularly over weekends and holidays.

Businesses would be able to challenge a closure through the regional police headquarters or take legal action.

The bill was submitted by the leaders of all three governing parties: Babiš for ANO, Petr Macinka for the Motorists and Tomio Okamura for SPD.

Its authors acknowledge that closing a store interferes with property and business rights, but argue that a temporary shutdown is justified when necessary to protect human life and health.

If approved by parliament, the measure could give authorities a faster way to stop sales while regulators investigate potentially dangerous products, rather than allowing a Prague shop to continue operating while authorities work out exactly what is inside them.