Do you know that Barcelona is called “New Amsterdam”, being a popular destination for 420 cannabis tourism? Consumption of marijuana is legal and safe here, though not everywhere. Yet, visiting this offbeat place in Europe, you can: grow and use cannabis privately at home or join a cannabis club in Barcelona.
In a nutshell, according to Spanish law:
Though the legislative limitations that you need to know, it’s also stated that:
Cannabis clubs or as they are commonly called in Spain Associations — Las Asociaciones de Cannabis or Cannabis Social Clubs are non-profit, social and recreational organizations where marijuana is grown with a donation to be shared and consumed strictly among the members.
The only access to the club are members: these are organizations private and closed to other people. Membership is granted: only if you are sponsored by an existing member of the association or endorsed by the club itself.
That means you can’t just walk in off the street without an invitation — you’ll be rejected. This is an important difference between Spanish cannabis clubs and the public coffeeshops in Amsterdam.
It seems like it is rather complicated, but in fact, it is much simpler than it first appears. Formalities like invitations, referral of existing members and club memberships are necessary measures to be in line with the strict requirements of the law.
In general, the process of acquiring marijuana in a club is the same kind of bargain as in the format of an Amsterdam coffee shop, except for one important difference. There is no concept of selling/buying, only in terms of willing membership contributions. Thus, here it’s awkward to use the word “buy”, instead say “get”, “have”, or “try”.
Joining the club, you pay a yearly membership fee, which is commonly 20€. If you’d like to get 1 gram of marijuana, an additional donation of 10-15€ for strains and up to 50€ for extracts and concentrates is needed.
In order to become a member of the cannabis club, it is not obligatory to be a resident of Spain or a citizen of Barcelona, indeed, membership is allowed to anyone, including tourists and city visitors. Very rarely, you could be asked for your residential address. Provide the address of the hotel, apartment, or any other place you are staying in Barcelona: no one is going to check it.
There is only one restriction that regards the legal adult age limit. Usually, you’re to be 21+ years old, yet, there are some clubs that accept people aged 18 or over. You should specify this information beforehand. Also, you have to provide your identification card to enter, because they won’t let you in without your ID, while a passport or a driver’s license with your photo works fine as well. Student ID, scanned copies, photos from the phone, etc. will not be accepted.
The general rules are simple: don’t bother anyone and be positive. After all, a cannabis club is a place to relax and recreate. That is safe and legal, and there is no reason for you to worry. The majority of clubs have a chill-out atmosphere. Hustle, rush, and loud conversations can disturb other guests. Respect other people’s privacy and just enjoy the relaxing vibe. If you want to take pictures, please first ask the staff whether it is allowed in the club or not.
So-called cannabis dispensaries are counters or bars with various weed products available. Hence, in the dispensaries, a budtender (aka bartender in the usual bar) will greet you. Be sure that he/she will gladly tell you about all the strains and extracts in the assortment, advise something to suit your mood, and offer to taste the smell of most everything that is on offer.
It is okay to leave a club under the influence of cannabis. However, possession and use of cannabis outside of the establishment are illegal. If you don’t have time to use all of your weed at the club, we recommend leaving it there for safekeeping and consuming it on your next visit. It’s a risk to take it with you. Yet, if you still decide to take cannabis with you, hide it in your undergarments. If you are stopped and subjected to a search, the police can’t make you undress completely — they need a warrant to do that.
You can be invited to a “coffeeshop” or a “cannabis club” directly on the street in Barcelona. Mind that such offers are illegal: private cannabis clubs have no right to advertise and use promoters on the streets. Stay away from street promoters and ignore such offers, especially in the city center. Since there’s a legislative alternative, it’s a matter of your safety because very marginal elements are doing so.
The black market offerings can be divided into two types: buy marijuana directly on the street or proceed to a fake “cannabis club”, which has nothing in common with real social clubs. In both cases, you will get very low-quality marijuana and potential problems with the police and law (acting in this way, you get involved in drug trafficking). Don’t push your luck, choose legal smoking clubs with a strong reputation only.
Cannabis social club, cannabis cafe, weed club or coffeeshop — such a variety of names can confuse. Before everything else, all the establishments provide cannabis products yet in different countries, states, and cities thus they differ a lot in the way they operate.
Cannabis Social Clubs are closed non-profit organizations in Spain that are only accessible to members and regulated by the authorities and government.
Coffee shops are places in the Netherlands (Amsterdam), where cannabis is openly sold in small amounts for personal use only. Though it’s open cannabis stores, there are some rules to mind: minors are not allowed (legal adults of 18 or 21 years old only); ID/passport is a must; it is permitted to come twice a day to the same coffeeshop; maximum 5 g of weed per day is allowed; alcohol, cigarettes, and hard drugs are forbidden.
Cannabis cafes are regulated locations in the USA, where adults of 21+ can openly consume cannabis products in a restaurant-style atmosphere. Herewith, it’s a blend of dispensaries (places to get weed by prescription) and restaurants, where guests can order food and consume marijuana (vape, smoke, eat, etc.) legally.
Weed clubs (or weed shops) is a slang expression used to define all the cannabis establishments in the cannabis culture that are described above in the article.
Our website will guide you through the local cannabis cafe, help you get a membership even in hotspots places with high-quality weed products and prepare you for your first visit.