From 2001 to today i Cannabis Social Club they carpet the Spanish territory dispensing grass and smiles. Often difficult to find, let's learn what they are, how to find them and above all how to access them without problems.
Wandering around calle of Lanzarote (Canary Islands, Spain) between rocky beaches, the infinite ocean and a blue sky, immensely blue, as a cannabis enthusiast I immersed myself in this “amazing reality”. Here's what I discovered:
Cannabis Social Club: the origins
“Cannabis Social Clubs are established to protect rights of cannabis consumers and producers, and to help create cannabis policies that benefit society as a whole“.
This is how the ENCOD (European Coalition for Just and Effective Drug Policies) presented them back in 2001 Non-profit associations, born for:
- defend i rights of cannabis consumers and producers
- guarantee a safe way and place for smoking marijuana
- raise awareness cultivation for personal use
Over the last two decades Encod, a network of European non-governmental organizations, has grown to over 150 members including organisations, businesses and citizens all driven by a single mission: end the war on drugs.
How coffee shops work in Spain
Cannabis Social Clubs are legally recognized associations and access to them is necessary become members. Each member will be issued a card to show upon entry and onto which they can load money to spend within the Club.
More than just a dispensary, Spanish coffee shops are a meeting point where you can relax, smoke weed, enjoy a juice, watch the game, make new acquaintances or why not, be alone and read a good book.
Each member will be able to purchase their favorite genetics, decide whether to consume it or take it home. We remember that in Spain cannabis it's not legal but its consumption is decriminalized. This means that you can smoke marijuana exclusively in private spaces or, precisely, in Cannabis Clubs.
Are Spanish clubs open to tourists?
No, they are not open to tourists but only to residents. However, some clubs may make exceptions and let you enter with a card certifying your membership in the association.
How to find Cannabis Clubs
With the word of mouth. Although several sites have been created that facilitate consumers, such as this one map that reports the coffee shops in Barcelona, the most effective way remains word of mouth.
The law prohibits clubs from advertising or exposing themselves in a too flashy manner. Furthermore, the incomplete legality of cannabis forces them to live in the shadows. The motto is: “If you have good weed people will find you”, and I assure you that it is true.
Where does marijuana come from?
The marijuana dispensed in the Cannabis Clubs is produced by some members of the Association called “farmer members” those involved in the "non-profit collective cultivation of cannabis".
Growers have a fundamental role in the Association. From the early hours of the day until the evening they have the duty to cultivate many plants and many genetics so as to satisfy the needs and requests of all members.
“It's hard but rewarding work - one of the growers I met on the island explained to me - before the pandemic I was responsible for the growth of around 200-300 seedlings to guarantee members their own grass".
Opening a Cannabis Club in Spain: what to do
After your experience on Spanish soil you were fascinated by this world, to the point of wondering how to open a Cannabis Social Club in Spain? Here's what you need to do.
Obtain Spanish residency
To open a Club you need the Spanish residence or rather the NIE, a mandatory tax identification number for all foreigners who want to live and work in Spain. Then we can get to the heart of the action.
Present your initiative to the public
The first step to take when deciding to set up a cannabis club is presentation of its initiative to the public, with which the noble aim of the Association is communicated: to cultivate for the personal consumption of the members and to offer a legal and safe alternative to the black market of narcotics.
Call the Constituent Assembly
The second move is to proclaim theConstituent Assembly, whose task is to approve the statutes. The Assembly must be composed of at least three founding members who respectively hold the role of President, secretary and treasurer.
The deed of incorporation, which indicates the name, purpose, headquarters and name of the President, must be signed and, like the previously written statutes, approved. Only now can we submit the documents to register of the Autonomous Community to which they belong to formalize the association.
Registration of members
The Association was created, well. Now it's the associates' turn. To join you must:
- show a identity document which certifies the age of majority
- fill in a registration request, with which it is stated
- to be regular consumers of cannabis
- that you want to be part of the association
- to have no criminal offenses related to public health
- pour one membership fee
Finally, by registering you declare your consumption forecast, i.e. the amount of marijuana which approximately the member will consume per month. The sum of consumption forecasts is fundamental, as it allows the association to supply the members themselves.
Cannabis production
The Association, based on consumption forecasts, must self-produce marijuana. In the event that the CSC does not have the means to cultivate, it can resort to joint purchasing from third parties on behalf of the members.
The maximum consumption forecast is 60 grams per month per member. Whether the grass is self-produced or comes from third parties, the production or purchase costs must be disclosed to members with maximum transparency. At the same time, the final price of the product must be duly justified.
