Marijuana social clubs are the final big step towards legalization

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article belong solely to the author and are not necessarily those of The Fresh Toast.

There are three main steps in legalizing marijuana: Stop arresting people for possession of marijuana, even if they are not white. Take marijuana sales of hard drugs off the black market; The establishment of places where marijuana can be consumed in the presence of other actual people to see if the universe will implode.

In 420, the Denver mayor signed an ordinance legalizing places where customers could smoke their own weeds, as well as clubs that could sell small quantities of weeds to be smoked. But no one seems sure when it will take effect. Well, as the saying goes, when people will leadthe leaders will follow. There are already a number of “smoke”EasiesWhere Patrons Can Weed Their Denver BYO.

Photo from Photography Live Via Unsplash

Similarly, Nevada’s lawmakers are likely to approve “consumer lounges”. New York’s new marijuana law leaves that matter to local authorities, so New York City can and almost certainly will allow this to happen. In any case it is probably that both cities will have places where patrons can legally consume their legal cannabis.

SEE: Federal CBD Advertising Laws

Of course, the Dutch did all of this in the 1970s, however apparently They live on another planet because no one in any other country on earth has thought of copying their model where people can buy small amounts of cannabis and smoke there or take them home.

But wait until you hear about Barcelona!

Barcelona have made maximum use of a loophole in Spanish law. There are a large number of “cannabis social clubs” that are really “clubs”, but they are very friendly to strangers. Some of them are really wasteful. It remains to be seen how many will survive the pandemic that has devastated Spanish tourism.

SEE: Guide To Cannabis Clubs In Barcelona AND: Joining A Cannabis Club In Barcelona In 2020 – A Complete Guide

For me, the key point is the word “social”. In the bad old days, I used to joke that there was a lot more smoke in closets than sex. But now I say no more lies and no more closets. Marijuana has always been a “social drug” like alcohol, but without violence. (The Dutch police are almost never called to “coffee shops”.) It is hard to imagine anything more “social” than sharing a joint or bong, but the pandemic calls for improved “social hygiene”.

When Jefferson wrote the bill from right he included freedom of assembly in the firstModification. (Congress must not enact law that would establish Religion or Prohibition of free exercise thereof; or restrict freedom of speech or the press; or the right of the people to peacefully assembleand filing a complaint with the government for redress.)

The Term ”smoke filled roomIs actually 101 years old. According to Wikipedia, “The term originated in a report by United Press’s Raymond Clapper describing rumors about the process that Warren G. Harding was nominated to the Republican National Convention in 1920. “Of course it was tobacco smoke.

Photo by Flickr user Dominic Milton Trott

Ironically, Dutch cannabis venues are called “Coffee shops“Simply because it was easy to get a license to sell coffee. But most people do not understand the historical significance of “coffee houses” as social, political and business places. (Lloyds of London started out in a coffee house.)

As in coffee houses, social and political spaces for cannabis will develop among the free people everywhere but may not always be popular with the government. As Wikipedia reports, “Charles II later tried to suppress the London coffee houses as.Places where the dissatisfied metand spread scandalous reports of the conduct of His Majesty and Ministers, The public flocked to them. ”

SEE: Why Conservatives Should Support Marijuana Legalization

Whatever they are called, we certainly need places where the “discontented” can meet and enjoy cannabis and the rights of a free people. And no one is really going to be free until everyone is free.

Richard Cowan is a former NORML National Director and author of CBD.