Innovation born of necessity: Pioneering drug policy in Catalonia
Authors:
José Carlos Bouso, and Òscar Parés Franquero.
Series:
Lessons in Drug Policy
Year:
2015
About the study
The first study in the Lessons in Drug Policy series explores and documents the formulation of drug policies at the sub-state level in Catalonia, first conducting a brief historical review of the social reality of drugs in Spain to contextualise why there are some specific drug policies and not others, and why these policies differ depending on the different territories of the State.
It then goes on to analyse in depth the specific case of Catalonia and the emergence of what are known as Cannabis Social Clubs, a very particular reality of certain territories in which Catalonia is perhaps a leader.
Finally, this text also aims, through the analysis of the examples shown, to inspire those people, professionals, groups and public health managers who are willing to reflect on alternative ways to try to find new solutions to old problems that have been unresolved for too many years.
Excerpt
“The relative autonomy in internal policies allowed to the autonomous communities by the Spanish regime of autonomies has made it possible for some territories to develop drug policies with approaches that differ from those of the State. In the specific case of Catalonia, drug policies are guided by parliamentary consensus, which has made it possible to develop more inclusive drug policies. The assumption of the paradigm of harm reduction in problematic drug users, the social phenomenon of the Cannabis Social Clubs that appeared in a context in which cannabis use is a fairly widespread behaviour among the Catalan population, or the educational measures that are alternatives to the administrative sanction for drug use in public streets among minors are an example of how there are different solutions to criminalisation in the approach to the drug problem.”
Photo by The Climate Reality Project on Unsplash.
Categories:
Studies & papers
, Cannabis
, Drug policies
Tags:
Cannabis Social Clubs (CSC)
, cannabis associations
, cannabis policy
, regulation
, legality
, cannabis
, scientific research
, study
, drug policy