A model for regulation of the cannabis market

I am convinced that the only way to obtain the normalisation of cannabis is to work together towards putting into practice a common project. The current dominating moral climate will postpone with another ten years the moment in which the official debate on ‘legalisation’ or ‘regulation’ will take into account our interests. If that moment comes, and we have a model that works, it will be more easy to ensure that this model will be the basis of policies in stead of alternative models such as state monopolies or pharmacies;

Contrary to what many people think, not many changes are necessary to legalize, normalize or regulate our favourite plant. But in order to do it, both prohibitionists and anti-prohibitionists need to agree, and therefore it is necessary to speak the same language.

For cannabis to be treated as just another vegetal product, it is important that the same kind of health and sanitary requirements can be made as with other products; however in a society where restrictions are made to the public consumption and access to tobacco and alcohol, which are completely different substances, it is quite likely that cannabis, a plant with the capacity to obtain changes in the ways of thinking, of seeing things, in short, to influence upon the human conduct, cannot be given the same treatment as to tomatoes. Cannabis is not like any other vegetal product, we will have to accept that its consumption is not innocent, which is not the same as to say that it is dangerous.

While the UN Conventions on Drugs remain as they are, the only thing we can do is make preparations. After years of struggle we have obtained recognition for the right to consume, and the majority of the judges (in Spain) consider that production for personal use should not be a crime, although the legislation still refers to the danger of cannabis in an abstract way and foresees that all production be prohibited.

I believe that a good way to continue the fight for normalisation is to develop the concept of the ‘consumers’ club’. The development of this model with the permission of authorities and technical experts, would give us a good idea on how to introduce in the future this plant in the market, considering that this serves an objective that is shared with the authorities, namely to reduce the risks of illicit drug consumption. Besides, this model facilitates the collection of taxes and also the protection of minors.

For this model to be accepted by the legal authorities, it is necessary to have some form of depenalisation of possession of cannabis for personal use. This is in fact the only measure that states can take without denouncing the present UN Conventions. Within this margin, the next step would be to allow for associations to have a private room where the adequate ambience is created to consume cannabis. The term ‘adequate ambience’ represents the idea that every member of the club, if he does not have anything to consume, because he has run out of product, because he is not able to cultivate or because the weather ruined his production, in that case, the club can give him what he needs. In principle, the production would take place in the club itself, (avoiding the problems that transport would generate), as in this way, the product would leave the club in minimal amounts (for instance in small bags of 10 grams, with a maximum of 5 bags for each member and each purchase). And the club would only produce enough cannabis to fulfill the demand of its members.

There would be no complaints about sale to minors (as with the driving licence, the right to vote or the permission to get drunk, the right to enter the club would only be obtained from 18 years onwards)

What is personal consumption?

In this hypothetical framework, the first that needs to be determined is what we define as the amount needed for ‘personal consumption’. In my view even heavy cannabis consumers will not be able to smoke more than 30 grammes a day. This means approx. 10 kilo/year. Every cannabis plant can produce 500 grammes if it is cultivated outside and well taken care of. We coulk calll this the yearly production amount for personal use. It is an easy system to define and to administer. Inspectors just need to count plants.

If people decide to grow collectively, of course the area needs to be regsitered, and all cannabis should have an owner, so there would be no commercial purpose involved. The club of consumers would be a non- profit organisation, with a number of plants that is according the number of members.

In these clubs, some of thoise who currently are involved in street dealing could be ‘recycled’. Obviously, many of them have contact and relationships to many cannabis users, so they could play an important role in building up this kind of clubs.

The idea is clear: there does not exist cannabis on an unlimited market: it is only produced in function of the previously established demand. There is no need to sell it to third parties as there will not be any surplus production.

To arrive to this situation we could start acting in private clubs where the we could establish a collective plantation of for instance a few plants for each member. Current experiences (in Spain) show that the marihuana can be sold at 2 euro a gramm (including the rent of the room, a gardener, elelctricity, water etc.. )

Before entering, the members need to recognise their own contribution to the purposes of the association, and every member pays monthly quota in function of his / her consumption, this way, authorities can allow such clubs to function, because no harm or nuisance is produced to third parties.

Jaume Prats/ Cañamo, Spain
June 06