Uruguayan Cannabis Social Clubs: From activism to dispensaries?

BACKGROUND: In 2013 Uruguay regulated three models for the supply of cannabis for recreational use (Law 19.172), including Cannabis Social Clubs (CSCs). According to the Cannabis Regulation and Control Institute, 110 CSCs are active at the time of writing. OBJECTIVES: This paper has a twofold goal. Firstly, it aims to take stock of how the CSC model has continued to be implemented in practice, drawing on the first-hand accounts of those involved in its management. Secondly, our analysis seeks to contribute to the understanding of the CSC model by considering the different variants of the model that have emerged in Uruguay. METHODOLOGY: Our analysis draws on qualitative research conducted in Uruguay between June and October of 2018. We conducted 15 semi-structured and face-to-face interviews with representatives of registered Uruguayan CSCs and with 13 other stakeholders. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: CSCs' role as cannabis suppliers is perceived positively in terms of the type of cannabis produced and the means of distribution. We found that truly social CSCs co-exist with, and may be losing ground to, quasi-dispensary clubs. A number of factors may have contributed to this, including the Uruguayan regulatory framework, institutional context, and disengagement of members and/or CSC managers. This raises potential new challenges as to the contribution of the CSC model from a harm reduction perspective.

Regulating Cannabis Social Clubs: A comparative analysis of legal and self-regulatory practices in Spain, Belgium and Uruguay.

BACKGROUND: Cannabis Social Clubs (CSCs) are a model of non-profit production and distribution of cannabis among a closed circuit of adult cannabis users. CSCs are now operating in several countries around the world, albeit under very different legal regimes and in different socio-political contexts. AIM: In this paper we describe and compare the legal framework and the self-regulatory practices of Cannabis Social Clubs in three countries (Spain, Belgium, and Uruguay). The objective of our comparative analysis is to investigate how CSCs operate in each of these countries. To foster discussions about how one might regulate CSCs to promote public health objectives, we conclude this paper with a discussion on the balance between adequate governmental control and self-regulatory competences of CSCs. METHODS: The data used for this analysis stem from independently conducted local studies by the authors in their countries. Although the particular designs of the studies differ, the data in all three countries was collected through similar data collection methods: analysis of (legal and other documents), field visits to the clubs, interviews with staff members, media content analysis. FINDINGS: We identified a number of similarities and differences among the CSCs' practices in the three countries. Formal registration as non-profit association seems to be a common standard among CSCs. We found nevertheless great variation in terms of the size of these organisations. Generally, only adult nationals and/or residents are able to join the CSCs, upon the payment of a membership fee. While production seems to be guided by consumption estimates of the members (Spain and Belgium) or by the legal framework (Uruguay), the thresholds applied by the clubs vary significantly across countries. Quality control practices remain an issue in the three settings studied here. The CSCs have developed different arrangements with regards to the distribution of cannabis to their members. CONCLUSIONS: By uncovering the current practices of CSCs in three key settings, this paper contributes to the understanding of the model, which has to some extent been shaped by the self-regulatory efforts of those involved on the ground. We suggest that some of these self-regulatory practices could be accommodated in future regulation in this area, while other aspects of the functioning of the CSCs may require more formal regulation and monitoring. Decisions on this model should also take into account the local context where the clubs have emerged. Finally, the integration of medical supply within this model warrants further attention.