The Spannabis Journal

Last week I flew out to Spain to attend Spannabis, Europe’s largest cannabis expo. Now in its 19th year, this annual industry and cultural gathering takes place within the grounds and under the somewhat ominous giant glass pyramid of the Fira de Cornell expo centre on the outskirts of the beautiful city of Barcelona.

The glorious weather and lifting of travel restrictions inspired a dramatic increase in attendance compared to the previous pandemic-affected year. In 2014 it was reported that 35,000 people attended the show, however, the event organisers have claimed that this year was ‘their biggest edition yet’ making the reported attendance figure of just 25,000 seem rather conservative.

The three-day weekend expo is one of the biggest B2C cannabis events on the calendar and features cannabis, cannabis-related brands, and companies from around the world. The event was busting at the seams with 280 exhibitors, 500 companies, and an estimated 5,000 industry guests in attendance.

Spannabis is considered to be the jewel in the European cannabis culture crown. A position it has genuinely earned over previous years and this one was no different. This year's expo was bolstered by the recent announcement that Spain would be quadrupling its production of ‘medicinal cannabis’ - despite not having a regulated domestic framework or legislation for lawful individual access beyond the usual GW/Jazz cartel.

As with every year, there were many private events taking place across the city at various cannabis social clubs during Spannabis week including Ego Clash, Heat Quest, Masters of Rosin, The Secret Session, The Organic Cup, and The Spannabis cup to name a few. Check out Jimi Devine’s Travel Diary for more details about these events and cup winners.

Airport Antics

Departing the train at the airport having calculated and recalculated the exact time I wanted to arrive at the airport a thousand times. I walked out of the station to my usual sparsely populated pre-flight smoke spot and enjoyed some wonderful locally produced organic MAC 1 and Planet of the Grapes. (Ethos genetics for all you curious Cannoisseurs)

Floating through the terminal towards security in a cosy cloud of contentment I was instantly gripped by fear, but I wasn’t worried about the stench of high grade emanating from me. Nor did I have any anxiety about the 20g of prescription cannabis flower in my backpack either. No, I was worried about the total volume of my toothpaste, as at that moment, I couldn’t remember if I had packed a half-used tube or a new full one.

The realisation of this irony tickled me greatly and elicited an involuntary comical laugh while I waited to empty the contents of my pockets into the vapid void of those security grey bins.

Although I had meticulously worked out exactly how much time I would need to clear security allowing some additional time to facilitate questions about the cannabis I was carrying. As I’ll discuss below I never really got confirmation that I could fly with my prescription. So I was equally frustrated and thankful to pass through security without incident in good time.

Liberating myself from the seemingly inescapable capitalist corral of duty-free with its offensive bright florescent lights, violent invasive advertising, and an arrogant arrangement of aromas that temporarily induced within me great envy for anosmic individuals. Although after realising this affliction would inevitably include the pungent and pleasant aroma of cannabis, my envy quickly abated.

Discovering that my flight was delayed for nearly two hours I purchase the requisite pre-flight essentials of water, coffee, and whatever vegan-friendly snacks are available. I then head over to the smoking area to exercise my lawful right to consume my prescribed medicine. Something that would become all the more interesting when my handheld vaporise suddenly ceased to function.

The subsequent lack of interaction with airport security whilst frequenting the smoking area before boarding my flight made the overall journey far more pleasant than any other previous flying experience I’ve had.

Travelling With ‘Prescription Cannabis’

Prior to travelling, I contacted UK Home Office, the Spanish Consulate, and the Spanish Medicines Agency to clarify the rules for lawfully travelling with ‘prescription cannabis. The information and instruction issued by the various institutions were somewhat confusing and contradictory but nevertheless, I’ll outline what I learned below.

The Home Office informed me that they can only advise those travelling to the UK and that;

“If you’re leaving the UK with medicine that contains a controlled drug you should be able to prove it’s yours with either a prescription or letter from your clinician. Other countries have their own import laws for prescription medicine and controlled drugs. You could get a fine or go to prison if you travel with medicine that is illegal in another country. Check with the embassy of the country you’re going to before travel”

Following the direction of both my prescriber and the Home Office I contacted the Spanish Embassy in London who subsequently informed me that this is a matter for the country’s consulate and not one for the embassy.

Growing increasingly frustrated I contacted the Spanish Consulate in Manchester who replied with;

“You may carry medication to Spain if it has been prescribed by a doctor, bought legally in the United Kingdom, it is for your own use and for the rational dosage which you may require for your trip. The maximum quantity, in any case, is the equivalent of 3 months of treatment”.

“We advise you to travel with your doctor’s letter and/or a copy of the prescription and to take the medication in the original packaging. Carry your medicine in your hand luggage (although check your airline's regulations before travelling) with a copy of your prescription. (for the UK)”.

“Bear in mind that, although you may carry medication as mentioned above, a personal license may be needed to take controlled medicines abroad. If due to your treatment, you are travelling with medication which contains a substance under international control, you are required to obtain previous authorization from the Spanish Medicines Agency. This Consulate is unable to confirm whether a particular substance is under special control; you should check with the mentioned Agency”.

The email also contained a list of information required when contacting the Spanish Medicines Agency. These include name, date and place of birth, ID or passport number, country of origin, start and end date, length of trip, and address where you going to stay.

They also stated that it is necessary to provide an ‘official signed and stamped medical certificate’ containing the name of the prescriber, their doctor registration number, the reasons for the treatment, dosage, international non-proprietary name of the prescribed drug, the concentration of active substances, total quantity, and ‘other information which may be relevant’.

I emailed the agency with the letter from my clinic/prescriber and provided the requisite details. However, I didn’t hear back from the agency before flying to Spain and at the time of writing, still have not.

Barcelona Baby!

Arriving in Spain later than intended I made my way to the hotel in downtown Barcelona to check in and check out the ‘smoking balcony’ that I’d specifically booked it for. Taking the A2 bus direct to Placa De Catalunya for just €7, I save over €20 avoiding the tourist trap of extortionately priced taxis at the airport.

Unfortunately, after landing in Spain my phone network provider failed to activate my roaming data. Worse still when attempting to rectify their mistake they ‘accidentally’ locked my SIM card and disconnected my network connection capabilities altogether. This left me to rely solely on whatever WIFI I could find across the city during my stay.

I finally found my hotel and after paying the various fees the lateness of my flight had incurred I dropped off my bags. After a quick trip to a local supermarket for basic supplies, several cups of tea, a couple of heavy smokes on the balcony, and my first day was done.

The following morning the noise of the bustling city below awoke me from my hazy slumber. A quick shower, coffee, and wake and bake later and I was off to get my tourist on. I wandered down to a local vegan cafe for breakfast and my first taste of Spain in many years.

Having flown over with some flower I decided to avoid the chaos of the cannabis social clubs before Spannabis in favour of exploring the city. So with a generous handful of single-skin prerolls, I spent my second-day sightseeing. First wandered over to La Sagrada Familia, down to the Arc De Triomf, and then over to Barcelona Cathedral.

The Mediterranean sun and sea breeze made great companions as I lazily meandered my way through the city’s hypnotic lattice grid down La Rambla towards the busy beach. While the public consumption and possession of cannabis are decriminalised in Spain, it is still a civil offence. However, I was informed by several locals that it is rarely enforced during Spannabis week.

Ultimately, I would encounter no issues with the local population or Policia as a consequence of my public consumption. Although to be fair, I was fully aware of the law, constantly being mindful of my surroundings at all times, and aware that there are often undercover officers that frequent public spaces throughout the city – especially around tourist hotspots.

Cannabis; Civil or Criminal?

While the personal possession of cannabis (up to 100g) is not a criminal offence in Spain– it is still a civil one that can result in a hefty fine. First-time offenders can face a fine of €600 (reduced by 50% if paid promptly) while repeat offenders may have their fines increased and multiplied.

Unlike The Netherlands, the public consumption of cannabis isn’t tolerated in Spain. However, like in the UK, there isn’t a criminal or civil offence for just smoking cannabis in Spanish law. So those caught consuming cannabis publicly are punished for a personal possession offence as a civil infraction and be fined in accordance with the amount or type of product they possess. It is worth noting here that extractions or concentrates may result in higher fines.

Possession above the 100g personal possession limit will be considered ‘intent to supply’ or ‘trafficking’ offences, both of which can result in a lengthy period of incarceration. These charges carry a prison sentence of 1 – 3 years for cannabis possession offences without aggravating factors while offences with aggravating factors can carry a minimum 6-year sentence. Participants in ‘organised crime’ 9 – 12 years and those running organised criminal networks face 10 – 15 years imprisonment under current Spanish law

So all that being said if you are going to consume publicly when in Barcelona then I recommend using your common sense and constantly being mindful of your surroundings. Also keep in mind that business owners can be fined up to €30,000 for allowing or not being diligent enough to prevent cannabis consumption, trafficking, or possession on their premises. This means that you will likely face issues consuming in local cafes, restaurants, bars etc.

During my visit, I met and spoke to quite a few locals that worked in clubs, hydro stores, and head shops. Through these discussions, I learned that the possession of CBD-rich/Low-THC cultivars of cannabis colloquially known as CBD or ‘Hemp’ flowers is technically lawful in Spain. However, local police have been known to seize flowers from individuals, test them, and increase the fine if the flower contains more than 0.2% THC. So maybe think twice before claiming ‘it's just CBD’ if it isn’t.

Spannabis Summation

Well, I suppose I should actually talk about my time at Spannabis in this Spannabis Journal. Before I get started here’s another quick travel tip, the city’s underground Metro network is a cheap and easy way to travel to and from Fira de Cornell for Spannabis. Moving on, it has been a long time since I have attended a cannabis event of this size and scale. So it was great to once again bask in the warm embrace of the culture and reconnect to the source that strengthens my resolve.

While I found the first day to both recharge my activist batteries and reinvigorate my desire to fight it was also rather sensorially overwhelming. The queue when I first arrived reminded me of some old natural disaster movie. Although given the draught of cannabis culture most attendees experience in their home states the rest of the year, I can sympathise with their eagerness to enter the European ‘Mecca of Marihuana’ to experience a few days of freedom.

The flimsy plastic barriers haphazardly placed around the small entrance to the expo were engulfed by waves of yearning cannabis enthusiasts crashing upon their fragile facade. With my press credentials as my only weapon, I charged into the fray and valiantly fought my way through the crowds to acquire my wristband. Once I’d received my band I again fought my way back across the battlefield toward the entrance. I found myself being birthed into the expo through the only avenue available to me, the exit, thankfully bypassing the majority of the disjointed and disorganised queue behind me.

Making my way through the blurry-faced brand representatives handing out their cute little tote bags containing promotional materials and samples. I found myself catching my breath as the narrow entrance mercifully gave way to the large central courtyard. Although evidently larger than in previous years because of the growing crowds it felt even smaller.

Spannabis has expanded its footing annually pushing back the multiple annexes that house the exterior exhibitors to its outer boundaries of the Fira de Cornel. And this year it looks like the expo might have finally reached the limit of its physical expansion capabilities at this venue.

Friday is often a busy day at Spannabis as attendees are eager to get their hands on the best freebies/prizes, the latest tech and toys, and those exclusive seed drops from worldwide breeders. This year was no different as some of the busiest stalls I witnessed over the weekend were seed companies.

Not having a working phone left me feeling isolated as I wandered around the many exhibitors looking for familiar faces. Luckily it wouldn’t take long before bumping into several podcast listeners, cannabis comrades, a multitude of former guests, and hopefully several more future ones. (Fingers crossed!)

The rest of the day passed in a dense cloud of Blue Gelato and Strawberry OG Glue as I worked my way around the many exhibitors. The late winter Spanish sunshine coupled with my inability to communicate technologically, and the unrelenting amassed horde left me exhausted and eager to head to the relatively relaxing atmosphere of a cannabis club.

The second day saw an increase in footfall from the previous day and an increase in the sense of urgency with which the crowds were pushing on past. I arrived later at the venue having had an extended evening of networking, socialising, and smoking at the exceptional Choko CSC. As I had already acquired my wristband I once again sneaked my way through the open exit birth canal into the expo fortunately avoiding the avid masses.

Once inside the central courtyard, there was no respite from or reduction in the density of the crowds. In need of some nutrition, I made my annual pilgrimage to the purple vegan food truck for some tasty junk food. The day passed by with countless introductions, many insightful conversations, and a lot of quality locally-produced cannabis being shared by all.

As with every year, Sunday is my favourite day at Spannabis. The crowds disperse slightly, the flow of people through the many annexes improves greatly, and the general vibe is a lot calmer and conducive to more meaningful interactions and conversations with exhibitors and industry professionals. I guess I prefer it because personally, I find it a lot less physically and cognitively overstimulating and overwhelming.

As mentioned above a conservative estimate of 25,000 people from 50 different countries attended Spannabis this year and it’s thought to have boosted the local economy by £7.4 million. So clearly the show was a massive success despite my complaints about the dystopian queue.

Unlike the majority of cannabis expos and international cannabis-focused events that have over time become co-opted by venture capital and non-consuming corporate types. Spannabis still stands defiant in its representation and prioritising of cannabis culture within a commercial and industrial sector. The vast majority, if not all, of the event attendees and exhibitors, are pro-adult consumption, pro-smoking, and pro-cannabis prohibition cessation.

Barcelona Cannabis Museum

After the hustle and bustle of Spannabis the calm atmosphere of Monday was a welcomed gift. A well-earned lay-in and an extended wake-and-bake session on the balcony at my hotel later and I was off to enjoy my last day in the land of Gaudi.

A fat stack of maple syrup-soaked pancakes at a local vegan cafe and a couple of prerolls fuelled my journey to the legendary ‘Hash, Marihuana, and Hemp Museum’ in the city’s Gothic Quarter. I’d heard a lot about the museum and intended to visit it in previous years but simply never found the time. So I wasn’t going to leave the country without a pilgrimage to experience this truly unique expression of cannabis celebration and rebellion.

After meeting up with an English friend we descended on the museum to experience one of the largest collections of cannabis-related articles, totems, and paraphernalia in the world. The stunning museum is situated in the Palau Mornau, a mansion built in the 1500s by the ‘noble’ Santcliment family. Over time the building fell into disrepair before prominent Dutch cannabis activist, philanthropist, and entrepreneur Ben Dronkers purchased the building back in 2002.

As a lifelong enthusiast of the city, Ben was eager to renovate the building to the highest of standards and in keeping with the principles of Catalan Modernism. Having previously opened the first ‘Hash, Marihuana, and Hemp Museum' in Amsterdam in 1987 with the help of his close friend Ed Rosenthal. Ben was happy to allow the architect Jordi Romeu and the selected team of construction specialists and artists time to transform the dilapidated building.

The grand opening a decade later in 2012 gained a lot of positive press attention and included international guests like Virgin business mogul Richard Branson. The museum has since had over two million visitors in the decade since its opening and patronising its walls, I can see why.

The stunningly rebuild and repurposed mansion is home to an estimated 8,000 individual pieces that make up this unique permanent display collection. Each of the rooms on the first floor takes you on a journey through the history of cannabis, its uses, and prohibition.

In addition to one of the largest public collections of cannabis-related materials, there is also an audio tour in English that is well worth a listen. The tiny black speaker box facilitates hours of insight into the complex, contentious, and somewhat controversial chronology of Cannabis Sativa L.

Although I may take issue with some of the outdated language and nomenclature being used and the absence of an exhibit discussing the horrors of cannabis prohibition and its ecological, environmental, and anthropological impact. I would still highly recommend a visit to the ‘Hash, Marihuana, and Hemp Museum’ for anyone travelling to Barcelona.

Did you know there are cannabis leaves on the famous Columbus monument

Airport Antics: Part Deux

I smoked the last of my superb Spanish sensimilla from the swanky Choko CSC and super chill Smoke Signals outside one of the many car rental lots that populate the vast site at Barcelona airport. Once again I’d arrived in good time to allow for any potential issues with border force or security for my prescription or related paraphernalia. After a short queue and a bomb swab, I found myself in the terminal with an hour to kill before moving on to the gate before my flight.

Although I was grateful to pass through security without issue. The ease at which I walked through security with the obvious smell radiating from my persons left me wondering what behaviours one would have to exhibit to require further investigation or intervention.

While at Spannabis one of the many stalls I spoke with was Pax who kindly gifted me a new complete Pax 3 vaporiser to replace my previous broken one. Still slightly unsure of my lawful rights I headed to the Jurassic Park -esque suntrap of a smoking area to pack a bowl (or two). Knowing I had barely a few grams left I enjoyed the late winter warmth and faced no comment or question from the tobacco-consuming patrons or airport security while field testing my new toy.

One thing to mention is that there is no smoking area once you clear passport control at El Prat airport. So make sure you are sufficiently stoned or medicated, depending on your preferential terminology, before heading to your gate to fly back to the UK.

Simpa’s Summary

In summation, it was awesome to finally get to visit Spain and Spannabis after all the pandemic palaver. While I inevitably missed many of the people I had hoped/intended to bump into and some of the events I would have liked to attend, I still thoroughly enjoyed my time in Barcelona and Spannabis as always.

I met many fascinating people, had many more insightful and inspiring conversations, and got to see how the Cannabis Social Club scene is evolving in Barcelona. While I only managed to visit a few clubs this time the ones I did patronise were incredibly well-finished, furnished, and fully stocked with quality local flowers.

I particularly enjoyed the poly-drug use vibe at Choko CSC. Among its welcoming and well-executed open design and seating concept sits a fully stocked cocktail bar, a rather unusual sight for a CSC, but one that elicited a truly raw authentic human experience - one more akin to those of my youth.

Until the day the war is finally over Spannabis will remain one of the last bastions of the global cannabis culture. It is a must for any serious cannabis consumer, enthusiast, or professional to experience it at least once. Ultimately, this cultural carnival and commercial capitalist celebration of cannabis grant us a glimpse of the potential future of the industry. If only we can overcome the corporate greed, cultural gatekeeping, corrupt politicians, trustafarians, Chads, vulture capitalists, and you know the whole war on drugs thing.

Written for The Simpa Life by Simpa