Catalonian authorities have taken further steps towards their goal of closing all the cannabis clubs in Barcelona last week, as thirty venues across the city received notices ordering them to shut their doors until further notice.
Deputy mayor and councillor for security, Albert Batlle announced his plans during a speech in the last plenary session of 2023 when he said he was going to “put an end [to cannabis social clubs],” explaining that the policy needed to be implemented “with legal certainty, with rigour, and without flaws caused by haste.”
Since then the City Council have carried out raids on many clubs, they have also conducted surveillance of some of the club’s premises and customers. Inspectors said their raids intended to ensure clubs were following the rules, specifically those preventing club members from consuming cannabis on-site and only allowing access to the clubs to residents of Barcelona.
Cannabis products were reported to have been confiscated by authorities so they could test them for their THC content. At least 50 clubs are thought to have been targeted by the authorities between December 2023 and the end of June 2024.
Stefan, owner of La Creme Gracia told leafie his club was recently raided by authorities. They took samples of cannabis products away to be analysed for their THC content, “…it could be a long process, we had a raid on the club in May, they took samples for analysis and we are waiting for the next steps; a fine, order of closure, or both.”
“I’m trying not to stress about the situation, do my job, and stay open as long as we can.”
A group representing Catalonian cannabis clubs, the Federation of Cannabis Associations of Catalonia (CatFAC) issued a statement denouncing the recent closure orders and questioning the “democratic nature” behind the plan to close them all.
“In its latest offensive against Cannabis Social Clubs, the City Council has chosen to use justice as a tool to achieve its political objectives, violating fundamental rights in a democracy and limiting the participation of citizens who see their ability to influence deliberation and decision-making at the local level reduced.”
“It is essential that this City Council understands that the use of cannabis will not disappear by banning it and that formulas must be sought based on consensus and dialogue, and not on police and/or judicial confrontation. It is vitally important to publicise and promote the role played by associations and their social clubs in reducing the possible risks associated with the use of cannabis,” the document states.
Last January 180 academics and NGOs from 53 countries signed a letter condemning the council’s “regressive stance” on cannabis and, urged them to acknowledge “crucial advances in drug policies at the global level”.
“Cannabis social clubs are privileged spaces for researching and implementing scientific, educational and health-based interventions with cannabis users,” says the letter which was organised by Barcelona-based entity ICEERS.
Cannabis clubs, or las asociaciones de cannabis as they are known in Spain have been operating in Barcelona since 2001 when the club The Cannabis Tasters Club of Barcelona first began to grow and distribute cannabis to its members.
There are currently around 650 clubs operating in the region of Catalonia, with just over 200 in Barcelona. In the past 5 to 10 years the city famed for its beautiful architecture and football team has become a contender to rival Amsterdam’s title as Europe’s cannabis capital. But with the recent closures, and more planned soon, the future of the cannabis scene in Barcelona and the whole of Spain appears uncertain.
