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Costa Del Spliff MAPPED: Brits in Spain will be able to smoke cannabis at THESE resorts

Spain's cannabis

The country has experienced a major boom in marijuana smoking in recent years.

More than 800 pot membership clubs now exist – up from around just 40 in 2010.

Most are located in the Barcelona which has been dubbed the “new Amsterdam”.

The clubs exist due to a Rights to Privacy law which allows Spanish citizens to do whatever they want in private including consume drug.

cannabis clubs in Spain

Credit: www.dailystar.co.uk

The Rights to Associations also allows residents to get together and consume a personal amount of cannabis privately.

Clubs have sprung up in towns, cities and resorts on the famous Spanish coast.

Some are nothing more than a small room with a full chair, while others in Barcelona have a range of extra services.

The famous Choko in Barcelona features Moroccan-style couches, beers and tapas, a stunning art gallery, regular DJs and staff who describe themselves “bud tenders”.

Most clubs require a sponsor to nominate new members

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The first way of joining is to contact a specific club via Facebook or its website.

According to Russ Hudson, a well-known cannabis consultant in Barcelona, clubs in the Catalan city will ask for a valid government-issued ID when you join and every time you enter.

Most require new members to be aged 21 and over but some allow people as young as 18 to sign up in Barcelona, according to Mr Hudson.

Prospective members will need to provide a residential address and agree to the club’s rules to growing cannabis on your behalf which can range from 5gs to 80gs a month.

It is understood a club can hold around 5gs of the drug per member on its premise.

Customers will also have to pay a membership fee ranging from around £17 to £80.

Spanish cannabis clubs are largely aimed at locals but not exclusively.

Every club requires customers have to an existing member act as a sponsor.

Clubs are allowed to keep 5mgs of cannabis per member

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But even then the club’s management will decide whether to approve you.

“At most private cannabis clubs, you don’t need to be a resident of Spain or of Barcelona to join,” said Mr Hudson.

“You will provide a residential address during your registration, but you don’t need to be an actual resident.

“However, some clubs do not allow new members who are not Spanish or Catalan.”

Cannabis clubs have been booming in resorts and seaside locations which welcome thousands of Brit holidaymakers every year.

One such club is the Havana Club Smoking in Malaga which features stylish seating, flat screens TVs and table football machines.

Another venue in a Brit holiday hotspot is Joe’s Marbella which invites members to “take a seat, breathe deeply and connect with a more humane way of living”.

The Casa Green in Alicante, a city loved by British tourists, said that new members have to be invited and accepted before they can enter the headquarters.

And Benidorm has also been gripped by the cannabis club boom.

“There are cannabis clubs throughout Spain, including Benidorm where for a yearly membership fee and a donation towards your chosen weed, hashish or oil (of which there’s a good selection), you can kick back in a safe, chilled out environment and smoke to your hearts content,” according to the Benidorm Insider.

“Some are small, basically a counter and room with chairs and tables adorned with smoking paraphernalia.

“Others are fantastic affairs similar to social clubs or nightclubs with cafe/bars, live entertainment, pool tables, games area and comfortable chill out areas with sofas and armchairs.”

Spanish authorities are watching clubs

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Not everyone has been jumped on the weed bandwagon, particularly local authorities.

Barcelona’s city council passed a law limiting the amount of smoke a club can emit, and then planned to criminalise pot near spaces popular with young people.

Cops have also been cracking down on clubs which are accused of straying the wrong side of the law.

A private cannabis club on the Costa Del Sol in Fuengirola was raided in April and the club’s owner arrested for his alleged involvement in drug trafficking.

Police seized 432gs of marijuana and 345gs of hashish in the raid.

Media reports stated “private cannabis clubs are popular on the Costa del Sol and are a growing trend”.

A dedicated site called Weed Maps lists the hundreds of different cannabis clubs in Spain with reviews from visitors.

Featured clubs include the Buenavista and Casa Ganjika in Alicante and Cloud in Ibiza.

 

Credit: www.dailystar.co.uk