How To Join A Cannabis Club In Barcelona
Cannabis Club Membership
You don’t need a cannabis club invitation. In fact, you only need to confirm you are welcomed to visit the club. According to the interpretation of the law, cannabis clubs should consist of a ‘closed group of members’. Meaning, they are supposed to reject new membership applications. Therefore, the systematic registration of new members is frowned upon by the authorities. In other words, it’s illegal for anyone to issue a cannabis club invitation.
Even though a few clubs still issue cannabis club invitations explicitly, lawyers advise against it.
Cannabis Club Endorsement
Clubs are no longer allowed to issue a cannabis club invitation. However, they can instruct you to visit them at the reception desk with your ID. Then, you complete a quick interview so the club can endorse you. Meaning, you can be ‘endorsed’ directly by the cannabis club to complete full membership registration. Contrary to what is commonly assumed, you no longer need an intermediary to endorse you.
Contacting a Cannabis Club
If you contact a cannabis club, they will request a face to face meeting at their reception so you can identify yourself as a legal adult. They can’t explicitly send you a cannabis club invitation; therefore, you are going to have to read between the lines.
Regardless, is it always best to contact the cannabis club in advance. They reply on the spot, so don’t worry about delays. They would either tell you not to come, or they would welcome you to meet them at the reception desk. You can fill out the form on their website or you can send them a private message to their Facebook page. A cannabis club making new members will normally reply:
“Thank you for your interest in our organisation. Please bring your ID to identify yourself as a legal adult (18+) at the reception desk. We can’t answer any questions till we meet face to face, so please be patient and follow the instructions.”
No cannabis club invitation guarantees membership registration. So, don’t be rude if you get rejected. Most cannabis clubs reject membership because of direct advice by the lawyer. Thus, don’t take it personal. Lawyers can send instructions with no prior notice for clubs to cease membership registration. Therefore, be kind and go to the nearest cannabis club in case you get rejected.
The Most Common Mistakes
The most common mistake everyone makes is simply ringing the doorbell of all the clubs without contacting them in advance, hoping to get accepted. The second most common mistake is to go without having everything required for membership registration. The following list consists of the information everyone should know if they don’t want to experience last minute setbacks.
Membership Rejection
Cannabis clubs change their membership registration policy on short notice, so never assume that a positive reply from a club guarantees membership registration.
Cannabis clubs are constantly being surveilled by police because the government has failed to regulate their activities, leaving this task to the police force.
Cannabis clubs reject new membership applications during police surveillance. Most members wait after the surveillance is gone because dispensaries are normally closed anyway.
So, if you get rejected, don’t make it a big deal and move on to the nearest club. Most cannabis clubs in the city center are less than a 15-minute walk from each other, but if you are the lazy type, feel free to take a €5 taxi ride.
For Members Only
Free guests or visitors are not welcomed. In other words, anyone wishing to enter a cannabis club must complete full membership registration. Which means they all have to:
- Fill out the form on the contact page of the website of the club or any affiliated party.
- Bring a valid form of ID (any government issued ID). Copies or pictures are not valid.
- Pay the anual membership fee cash (€20). Discounts or free entrances are illegal.
Don’t leave anyone waiting outside. Your membership application may be rejected if you are caught leaving anyone waiting nearby. Moreover, if you dare to exchange money in front of a cannabis club, you could be charged with drug dealing which is a serious crime in Spain.
Don’t Ask Further Questions
Cannabis clubs can’t reply to any questions by email or over the phone. Don’t ask further questions as it’s illegal for cannabis clubs to disclose any further information to non-existing members. Any communication can be considered promotion, which is a crime. So, save them the trouble and don’t ruin the surprise.
You can ask many questions at the reception desk if the receptionist is not too busy. Cannabis clubs can answer all your questions face to face, once you’ve shown your ID.
Don’t use Financial Words
Also, you can’t use financial words in connection with cannabis.
Invitation for Tourists
There are no cannabis club invitations for tourists. Since cannabis clubs are not regulated, the law doesn’t distinguish a local resident from a tourist, so don’t expect an explicit invitation. The government does not approve the access of foreigners to cannabis clubs, so don’t complicate things.
If you contact a cannabis club and they reply with instructions to visit them, stop wondering and follow the instructions.
Regardless, don’t look like a tourist. Don’t leave rental bikes parked in front of the club. Don’t bring your luggage to the cannabis club and don’t take pictures without asking for permission. Don’t ask for a discount or a short term membership. All the clubs that used to do that got shut down for breaking the law. So seriously, don’t be rude and don’t insist.
WARNING: For your own safety, stay away from street promoters or any stranger who offers to help you find the club you are looking for. They are scam artists, thieves or pickpockets. They would persuade you with cheap memberships or free weed to take their advice. Sometimes they will promise access to multiple clubs for €10 or €20, or even lifetime membership. It is all a lie, so don’t be fooled.
Every year many tourists end up in hospital for taking drugs sold by fake cannabis clubs or narco pisos. Every time you accept help from a stranger on the street you are financing illegal drug trafficking and criminal organizations.
Don’t be part of the problem.
Visit a Cannabis Club Today
Barcelona has over 200 cannabis clubs but less than 20 may be worth visiting. They are not stores, nor coffeeshops, they are private cannabis associations. Anyone wishing to enter must complete full membership registration. However, not all cannabis clubs are open to new members. If you wish to know the best clubs available right now, click on the bottom below.
Members of cannabis clubs must show their ID at the reception desk to prove they are a legal adult (18 or 21). Valid forms of ID are passport, driver’s licence or any government issued ID. Pictures of the ID on the phone or printed copies are not valid forms of identification.
