Lawmakers In Spain To Debate Cannabis Regulation On Tuesday
When it comes to cannabis reform efforts there are various speeds at which jurisdictions move, ranging from a rapid pace like we saw in Thailand in the last couple of years all the way to places like China where cannabis prohibition is clung to at all costs and they are seemingly somehow finding new ways to ramp up prohibition efforts.
Somewhere in between on the spectrum is Spain. As with many other things, Spain moves at its own pace when it comes to cannabis reform. Medical cannabis is legal in Spain, however, current licenses are geared towards research and exports.
Adult-use cannabis is quasi-legal in private settings in Spain, which has created a loophole of sorts that private cannabis clubs take advantage of. What Spain truly needs is domestic cannabis regulations to take away the uncertainty and help Spain’s emerging cannabis industry reach its full potential.
Fortunately, lawmakers in Spain are considering such reform, with a debate scheduled for tomorrow. The measure being considered would reportedly go beyond medical cannabis regulations. Per Infosalus (translated to English):
The Plenary of the Congress of Deputies will debate this Tuesday the Proposal for a Law of Esquerra Republicana (ERC) to regulate cannabis in an “integral” way, that is, both its therapeutic and recreational use.
One of the objectives of the Law, which ERC presented at a press conference in September 2021, is to “decriminalize” cannabis and consider it a medicine that can be accessed with a prescription.
In this way, the consumption of marijuana would be legalized in places where tobacco smoking is allowed, this would include the ability to consume cannabis outdoors and on private property.
The measure would permit for the cultivation of up to six plants within an adult residence, with a reported limit of ‘producing up to 480 grams per year.’ For context, one harvested plant cultivated using advanced techniques can yield more than 480 grams of dried cannabis flower.
Additionally, the measure would mandate that certain funds be earmarked for ‘resources to combat addiction’ and to ‘increase the awareness of the negative effects of cannabis.’ Hopefully people in Spain are already aware of the harms of prohibition, and continue to demand a more sensible approach to cannabis policy in Spain.