The answer is yes and no. There are cannabis clubs in Barcelona, but these clubs are quite different from the well-known coffeeshops in Amsterdam.
Spain prohibits the trade and business sale of cannabis products containing THC. The decriminalisation of cannabis cultivation and consumption covers only private use.
Although, these circumstances do not mean that you cannot enjoy the pleasures of cannabis in an organised way.
Different type of coffeeshops
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The Spanish cannabis clubs are organised differently than the coffeeshops in the Netherlands, because in Spain these clubs can only operate in a non-profit association framework, and they only can get the raw materials by using the right to self-grow. So, the club grows the marijuana for the club members in a way that the club members transfer their cultivation rights to the club they have joined. Every member has the right to grow the maximum of six plants.
There are two types of licences, and therefore two types of clubs exist in Spain, ‘public clubs’ and ‘private clubs’. The difference between these clubs is mainly how they are marketed. While public clubs have the right to greater publicity, for example these clubs can have a public website and can use social media, such online presence is prohibited for private clubs.
Neither the ‘private’ cannabis clubs nor the ‘public’ cannabis clubs in Spain follow the Dutch model, so there is no ‘coffeeshop’ in the traditional sense in Barcelona (photo: Pixabay.com)
Moreover, public clubs can welcome non-local members such as tourists, while private clubs, without publicity, are only known and accessible to the locals.
A ‘public’ cannabis club does not mean that you can fill your bag with weed and leave the store.
For more details, read the article of ‘can I get weed to go’.
There are clubs of both types in major Spanish cities, most of them are in Barcelona.
This is no coincidence, as Barcelona is a beautiful cosmopolitan city and well-known worldwide. In addition to being famous from its culture and nightlife, Barcelona is attracting even more visitors thanks to the legalisation of marijuana.
However, if you would like to smoke marijuana in Spain, it is important to follow the local rules and take the advices we have collected for you on this page.