Social Cannabis Use Reform Will Revolutionize Consumption Technology

This article was originally published on Cannabis & Tech Today and appears here with permission.

Social cannabis use reform is the next frontier for activism efforts across the globe. For those that do not know what social use reform is, it largely relates to cannabis clubs and lounges.

Public use of cannabis is illegal across the globe, even in jurisdictions where cannabis is now legal for adult use.

It creates a problem for patients and consumers. They can legally purchase cannabis and possess it, but still have to find a place to legally consume it.

That is where social use reform comes into play. Rather than having people consuming their legal cannabis in an alley or hotel room, social use reform creates venues where consumption is legal and out of public view.

Ideal Places to Debut Consumption Technology

Cannabis consumption lounges and clubs are not the only type of venue for social use. In fact, social use venues can come in just about any form (lounges and clubs are just the most common form).

While there are not that many jurisdictions where social use venues are currently allowed, where they are permitted they can come in the form of arcades, movie theaters, and just about every other business model imaginable. They can also be one-off events, such as concerts.

As you can imagine, social use venues are extremely popular among consumers and patients both because they provide a safe place to consume as well as serve as a place to socialize.

In the future, these establishments will also be an ideal place to debut new cannabis consumption technology.

Rather than companies paying enormous sums to promote their new technologies, they can provide demonstration models to social-use venues. This would place products in front of potential purchasers in a more efficient and effective fashion.

Where Is Social Use Permitted?

Some jurisdictions, such as Las Vegas, permit social use venues to some extent. Uruguay allows cannabis clubs and Malta will eventually allow them as well.

However, there are many more social use venues that operate in a legal gray area, such as in Spain.

Spain (particularly Barcelona) is home to hundreds of cannabis clubs spread throughout the country. 

Barcelona specifically passed a law to permit them back in 2016. Although, a recent federal court decision has put clubs back in a state of limbo.

That said, the clubs in Barcelona are still very popular. With adult-use cannabis reform on the move in Europe, social use may be codified into federal law in Spain sooner rather than later.

In the meantime, Barcelona will continue to serve as a top international cannabis destination, including when the world’s largest cannabis superconference returns to Barcelona in March.