We support the Cannabis Social Clubs Proposal below and urge our Governments to allow their introduction:

CANNABIS SOCIAL CLUBS: A HEALTHY OPTION

Cannabis social clubs (CSC) are non-commercial organisations of cannabis users who get together to cultivate and distribute enough cannabis to meet their personal needs without having to turn to the black market. They are based on the fact that the consumption of illegal drugs has never been considered a crime under Spanish legislation. Taking advantage of this grey area, private clubs that produce cannabis for non-profit distribution solely to a closed group of adult members have existed for years.

In most countries, adults can go to a shop or bar when they want to buy alcohol or consume, or they can brew their own.

There should be a system for production and distribution of cannabis that will cause less problems and lower policing costs. There should be a place where cannabis can be enjoyed in a responsible way, where it is away from minors, hard drugs, and where the consumers are safe.

CSCs are associations of citizens who want to cultivate a limited amount of cannabis to satisfy their personal needs legally.

Health and safety conditions of a CSC should be monitored during the entire process - from cultivation to consumption. This would stop the use of adulterants used in the illegal market all with their own risks.

Cultivation would take place in accordance with safety rules. This would reduce problems such as fire risk and theft of electricity.

Membership of the clubs would be limited to adults, so these clubs are a way to reduce the availability of cannabis to minors.

This proposal is a harm reduction measure.

http://www.encod.org/info/-CANNABIS-SOCIAL-CLUBS-.html

On these pages you can find information on Cannabis Social Clubs. CSCs are non profit associations that organize the professional, collective cultivation of limited amounts of cannabis, just enough to cover the personal needs of their club members. Examples of these clubs currently exist in Belgium (Trekt Uw Plant), Germany (East Side Growers, Spain (Ganjazz and Pannagh) and Switzerland (Verein Medical Cannabis) while in other countries, similar initiatives are in preparation (France), or implemented (Canada and the United States).