CANNABIS DECRIMINALISATION - WHAT DOES IT REALLY MEAN?

Photo Credit: Greta Schölderle Möller

Cannabis Decriminalisation is when a government changes its laws so that activities like posessing, cultivating and using cannabis, which they would normally consider to be illegal are no longer treated as a criminal offences, but they might still be regulated or result in civil penalties like fines, or confiscations of your weed.

So are these decriminalised activities legal or illegal then? Well, technically they are still illegal as they haven't been made legal but, at the same time, they are not illegal enough for you to be arrested, treated as a criminal, or get a criminal record for doing them.

Bit techy, I know and that is why I'm talking about it because, its one of those odd areas where the law is one thing but, the consequences for doing that thing are not the usual.

For example:

• If cannabis is criminalised, being caught with a small amount could mean arrest, a criminal record, prison time.

• If cannabis is decriminalised, being caught with a small amount might mean confiscation, a warning, or a fine – but not a criminal record or jail.

  
  

Its a bit of a confusing but, also really interesting position to be in as a cannabis lover because all of a sudden, the worry of being caught with a bit of green on you has instantly been reduced from, "Shit, I can't afford to get caught with this weed on me, that's my job, my reputation, my family possibly", to "I hope they don't make me throw my weed away!" Big difference...

A few days ago on my first trip to one of the local clubs 'STONERZ' as I sat on the train back to my apartment in the smaller, quieter town of Sabadell, the pong of my flowers radiated from my backpack and it took me a minute after initially panicking a little and feeling guilty that everyone now knew I was holding some weed, for me to think, hang on... This isn't illegal and actually, nobody can really say anything because this isn't a crime! They may not necessarily approve, or like it but, there's no one to call and report this to because, no crime is being commited and that was a truly, liberating, if a little uncertain of a feeling.

Location: La Broqueta - Rambla Del Poblenou, 101, 08005 Barcelona

While I write this I'm sat in a nice Spanish restaurant eating some good food, chilling and once I finish, I'm gonna walk a few minutes down the road to a local cannabis club, where once I show my membership pass, I will be allowed in to browse the menu, pick from buds, to vapes, to edibles and extracts, sit, chill and enjoy with a community of other cannabis lovers, no worry about being raided, busted, or doing something 'illegal' but, still with a slight feeling of doing something shady and being part of a somewhat exclusive underground movement still not fully established, accepted or understood by the wider world around us.

Before I head off though, here are the key points you need to understand about decriminalisation.

Key points about decriminalisation:

• Removes or reduces criminal penalties like jail, arrest and criminal records.

• Often focuses on personal use amounts, not large-scale trafficking - So don't get caught with a Z or you might still get bagged for intent to supply!

• Does not necessarily make things legal — it might still be technically illegal, but with lighter consequences.

• The goal is usually harm reduction, reducing prison overcrowding, and shifting focus to health and awareness rather than punishment.