Tobacco Asia

Tobacco Asia 39 But not all is swell. While Malta does allow the opening of cannabis social and grower clubs in princi- ple, the regulations pertaining to that appear extremely complicated and require improvement. "You can ap- ply for a license, but its' so complex, confusing and represents such an investment risk that nobody has bothered so far, and hence not one single club exists," Wurth told Tobacco Asia. Spain: turning a "blind eye" to hundreds of illegal cannabis clubs Although cannabis remains illegal in Spain, literally hundreds of cannabis clubs have established them- selves there, creating a vibrant scene in cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, Málaga, and countless others. Strictly speaking, all these venues are illegal, of course, but local authorities simply turn a blind eye. Which brings us to the… Netherlands: surprisingly, cannabis is not legal When asked about the status of cannabis in the Neth- erlands, 9 out of 10 people will surely answer that weed has been entirely legal there for decades. It's a misconception that stubbornly persists. The truth is that cannabis is not legal in the Netherlands, and never has been! The proliferation of cannabis cafés that at- tract millions of foreign tourists every year and the circumstance that blunts or "special cookies" can be openly consumed without being arrested on the spot doesn't change that fact. Just like in Spain, it's merely tolerated. Municipalities willingly dispense cannabis café operating licenses as long as "business" remains discrete. But shops need stock – and that is where the real problem lies. While venues are allowed to sell and distribute cannabis products, practically all operators obtain their supplies from the black market. Portugal: a defacto "consumer" decriminalization Alas, the "Portuguese Model" does not refer to a tall, long-legged beauty with flowing auburn hair named Luiza or Mercedes; though we wish it did. Instead, the moniker describes the approach of Portugal to illegal drugs, including cannabis. And once again, just like with the Netherlands, many people get it completely wrong when talking about the "Portuguese Model". Along with substances such as cocaine, heroin, crack, or ice, cannabis remains illegal in Portugal, pe- riod. Its commercial production, smuggling, distribu- tion, or sale brings lengthy jail terms. The "Portuguese Model" merely applies to us- ers, who are no longer prosecuted for possessing or consuming small quantities of cannabis, cocaine, her- oin or whatever. It spares users from court cases, im- prisonment, and criminal record entries, thus can be construed as a form of consumer decriminalization. But that's all it does, really.

• Cover