ON A EUROPEAN CODE OF CONDUCT FOR CANNABIS SOCIAL CLUBS

[StRa]

http://www.encod.org/info/ON-A-EUROPEAN-CODE-OF-CONDUCT-FOR,3376.html



2 November 2011
Herewith Encod presents the draft version of a code of conduct that will be respected by European Cannabis Social Clubs. We invite all interested people (Encod members or not) to send their comments or leave them below if they think this can improve the text. Please do this before 1st December 2011.
The idea is to have a definitive text by 1st December, so we can start promoting the European CSC model and inviting people actively to start setting up their own club.

EUROPEAN CANNABIS SOCIAL CLUBS CODE OF CONDUCT
DRAFT VERSION, NOVEMBER 2011


Due to the lack of a legal framework with regards to cannabis cultivation for personal use, we, cannabis consumers throughout Europe have initiated an own model of regulation and control. This model, called the Cannabis Social Club, aims to prevent cannabis consumers from being involved in illegal activities and assures that certain requirements concerning public health and safety are being fulfilled. Cannabis Social Clubs (CSC) are registered, non-profit associations that are formed by adult people who consume cannabis. They can be set up legally in any country where cultivation of personal amounts of cannabis has been decriminalised.
CSC’s organise the collective cultivation of an amount of cannabis that is exclusively meant for the private consumption of their members. The production capacity of a CSC is based on the expected level of yearly consumption of its members, increased with a reasonable buffer to counter the risk of failed harvest, theft, and provide for ‘emergency stash’ for people who consume cannabis for medicinal reasons. The internal rules of a CSC include a protocol about the management of this eventual surplus.
Unlike cannabis distributors who operate on the illegal market, Cannabis Social Clubs are willing to enter into dialogue with authorities to provide insight in their working methods, in the framework of the elaboration of a legal regulation of cannabis. Local authorities should have an interest in such a regulation, which will enable them to control the CSC”s in order to ensure their transparent and safe way of working. Thus, they create an alternative for the black market, prevent the access of minors to cannabis, help to reduce public expenditure and generate tax revenue. CSC’s have an interest in such a regulation as it will ensure the legal status of their organisation and its activities.
Cannabis Social Clubs are characterised by transparency, democracy and non-profitability. They function as an association, with complete openness about financial arrangements to their members, so the members can see how the costs are calculated and the money is spent. CSC’s organize a general assembly at least once a year, where annual reports are discussed and approved. These reports include a complete balance of incomes and expenses in the past fiscal year, according to the rules established for this purpose.
Cannabis Social Clubs may decide to employ staff members, who can receive reasonable remuneration. Thus they contribute to the creation of employment, economic re-activation and savings on the budget for law enforcement.
Cannabis Social Clubs have a protocol for adhesion of new members that includes an explanation on their rights and duties, an indication of the estimated amount of consumption and a private conversation on the history of use. This allows the clubs to recognise problematic consumption (psychopathologies), and to respond to this situation.
Before becoming member of a Cannabis Social Club, the applicant must state that he/she is a user of cannabis, or provide a medical report stating the diagnosis, to check that the person is diagnosed with a disease for which the use of cannabis is indicated, according to the regularly published lists by the International Association for Cannabis as Medicine (IACM).
Cannabis Social Clubs take a comprehensive written record of consumption made by their members from collective farming, register in which they shall contain at least a membership number, the amounts withdrawn and the date of withdrawal. In this register personal data are ensured at all. There will be an upper limit on the amounts that members may receive, in order to avoid the possibility of facilitating the use of third parties.
Cannabis Social Clubs take a comprehensive written record of production, in which the association shall certify the dates of the cycle of cultivation, the used methods of cultivation and the amounts collected and suitable for consumption. Inspections are carried out randomly by representatives of the association, to verify the location, safety measures and estimated volume of production.
The methods of cultivation, post-harvest treatment etc. meet up to the standards of biological agriculture with sustainable use of natural resources.
Once the harvest has been controlled and the final production volume quantified, the association will issue a written authorization to one of its representatives to proceed to crop product transportation from the place where it is cultivated to the premises where the controlled distribution is carried out.

 

[Bacchus]

Cool idea

 

[Harry Gypsna]

Nice idea, but...
... The Biological agriculture thing, so hydro grown, wouldnt be acceptable in Cannabis social clubs?? For me the main issue is whether plants have been sprayed with dodgy pesticides. Minerals are minerals, and plants dont know if they are getting them easily and quickly, through a soloution, or getting them as bacteria break down organic matter into the minerals--the minerals are still the minerals.
Other than that, great idea...
If only we had decrim here, Id join--provided of course my hydro buds that havent been sprayed with nasties, are OK

 

[ChaosCatalunya]

Spot on HG,

This is an issue with the clubs up in Barcelona, people have got it into their heads using soil means it is organic..

Things are moving rapidly though, you can go and see some of the club's grows and ask them about it all.

The system appears to be working, the Police have left them alone and the Ajuntament [Town Hall] are giving out permits they could withhold if they wanted to snuff out the movement.

This is just the start, if the Dutch do not stop the clampdown on coffeshops and foreign visitors, Spain could well become the warmer option for MJ tourism.

The clubs are NON PROFIT, and can grow their own supplies. so the things they can do have a lot more potential than just a straight coffeeshop in the Netherlands. Likewise, with the product, the growers are not just in it for profit, there will be some real competition between clubs for ultimate quality, not just cash croppers flogging unflushed, half finished commercial weed...

The future is very bright Amigos.

Nice idea, but...
... The Biological agriculture thing, so hydro grown, wouldnt be acceptable in Cannabis social clubs?? For me the main issue is whether plants have been sprayed with dodgy pesticides. Minerals are minerals, and plants dont know if they are getting them easily and quickly, through a soloution, or getting them as bacteria break down organic matter into the minerals--the minerals are still the minerals.
Other than that, great idea...
If only we had decrim here, Id join--provided of course my hydro buds that havent been sprayed with nasties, are OK

 

[mr.brunch]

would love to take a smokers holiday to spain!

 

[StRa]

yeah Chaos C. could you please be so kind to give us a link or a description about the rules of the clubs in Spain.....thanks in advance man

 

[ChaosCatalunya]

High StRa,

The "rules" as such are set by Club's Lawyers, their interpretations of the laws and how you can work within them... As far as I understand it.

There is no set law or rule for allowing Cannabis Clubs, but by daisy chaining several laws and legal rulings together, Clubs can run under what they believe is legal protection, selling Cannabis on a non profit basis to club members.

Clubs have been busted, but charges have been dropped for many, hopefully all. I have heard stories of a number of places opening in the city, some are meant to just be just a selling table and a basic smoking room, others much larger, better equipped and with club grows on show.


I hope this helps, will post up more information as and when I get it.

 

[Paz]

would love to take a smokers holiday to spain!

Oh but you can

Actually after some 'friendly advice' we have had to begin proceedings for a non profit social club. Its kinda what we already do but now we change to the redtape and redtape expense right? dohhhh

But hey, we take the positives with the negatives and with memberships system at least I don't have to worry what the latest 'grey' limit is on the numbers so much.

In theory

 

[mr.brunch]

Oh but you can

Actually after some 'friendly advice' we have had to begin proceedings for a non profit social club. Its kinda what we already do but now we change to the redtape and redtape expense right? dohhhh

But hey, we take the positives with the negatives and with memberships system at least I don't have to worry what the latest 'grey' limit is on the numbers so much.

In theory

book me up!!
seriously, is it possible to take a smokers hol in spain?

 

[Hash Zeppelin]

Oh but you can

Actually after some 'friendly advice' we have had to begin proceedings for a non profit social club. Its kinda what we already do but now we change to the redtape and redtape expense right? dohhhh

But hey, we take the positives with the negatives and with memberships system at least I don't have to worry what the latest 'grey' limit is on the numbers so much.

In theory

This is all very exciting to hear. It means if the USA becomes to fucked there is a nice warm place with mountains I can go instead of the cold rainy Netherlands. Plus I love Spanish Culture. All the different regional foods/ wines, the language, the land. Spain is an awesome country from border to border. Dont get me wrong, i love the dutch too, but I NEED Mountains to be happy. the Mediterranean Sea is great too!

Viva La Spanish Cannabis!

 

[Ruosk]

Zeppelin, I agree with you: Spain rocks! Food and drink are great, people are friendly and hospitable and the climate is very nice. Few years back I was in Barcelona and couldn't find a cheap room anywhere - luckily I bumped into some good local folks at some small park, hung around with them, got a place to sleep, had a good time drinking beer and smoking pot. At a local bar in Sabaddell neighbourhood some guy came into bar with a big jar of outdoor buds and made a round handing everyone a small handful, even me Good times, can't wait to go back! And I seriously believe Spain (and Portugal) is going to be the next Netherlands.

 

[ChaosCatalunya]

Spanish Social Clubs run under the cover of 2 legal precedents...

1. What you and your friends do in private is your own business.

Behind a locked gate, fence, wall, on Private Property, what you do is "Propreidad de Casa" ... aka. your own business. This includes Drug use, you can smoke yourself stupid in your own house/garden and you are doing nothing wrong. In Spain, 95% of people believe that Cannabis is a Herb, not a drug, it is totally socially accepted. In my local town, 50%+ of the local Police smoke weed, their collegues accept this and turn a blind eye.

Smoking in a public bar is Illegal, Cigarettes or Weed, but it is legal in a Private Environment, house, or a private members club. So, therefore, it is legal to have a private weed smokers club, totally legally.​

2. A group of drug users can buy large quantities drugs communally and share amongst themselves, as long as no profit is made.

Years ago a Junkie was caught with a big bag of smack, he successfully argued that he was part of a group who had pooled money to buy a larger amount together to get a better deal. After much legal arguments, it was decided that this was legal and was not "dealing"... so a Legal Precident was set, in Spain it is legal for a group of people to buy drugs communally without it being seen as trafficking.​

The Spanish Social Clubs work behind these 2 laws, they run as a Private Members Club, cannot advertise or invite strangers in, invitations are by word of mouth only. They typically buy in Kilos of top quality weed at e4/g and sell at e7/g, the e3/g profit is used to pay staff basic wages [e18k.p.a. I think is acceptable] and for the rent, running expenses of the club... it must not make a profit, but can re invest in things for the club.

It is not perfect, but it is a very good solution for the members. Currently there is a bit of shit going on in Barcelona with the corrupt/corrupted Police hanging around trying to bust people leaving with a few grams for the e600 fine, so either smoke it all or keep it down your balls/bra/panties.