Research paper
Cannabis clubs in Uruguay: The challenges of regulation

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2016.05.015Get rights and content

Abstract

Background

The Uruguayan Cannabis Clubs (UCCs) constitute one of three ways to obtain cannabis under the new cannabis regulation laws. These organizations, formed by up to 45 adults and with a legal limit to grow up to 99 plants, appear to provide a safe method of procuring cannabis in a country that is trying to regulate aspects of cannabis production and distribution. This article describes the operations of the UCCs and the challenges these organizations face.

Methods

The paper draws on data from in-depth interviews conducted with representatives of UCCs and conversations with government officials conducted between March and August of 2015. We collected information about membership, facilities and forms of organization, methods of cannabis cultivation and distribution, and activities within the community.

Results

This article describes how UCCs are formed, their resources, rules for cannabis production and distribution; and their relationships with government institutions and the community. Data show that UCCs face four main challenges: compliance with the extant regulation, financial sustainability, tolerance from the community, and collective action dilemmas.

Conclusions

Organizational challenges are as frequent in Uruguay as in other country where cannabis clubs exist, however this paper shows that in order to be sustainable, UCCs need to address issues of collective action, financial sustainability, and possible competition with cannabis distribution via pharmacies that could diminish membership. In the case of Uruguay, UCCs are part of a regulation effort, though they may not be preferred over other legal alternatives already in place.

Section snippets

Background

Cannabis clubs constitute one of three ways in which the new Uruguayan law (Law 19,172) regulates production, distribution and consumption of cannabis and allows nationals to obtain cannabis. Other modes of access include self-cultivation and purchasing cannabis at pharmacies. Currently, these three methods are mutually exclusive and individuals must choose one legal way to obtain cannabis, and register with the Uruguayan IRCCA (Instituto de Regulación y Control del Cannabis). Sales through

Methods

Data presented here come from two main sources: documentary research and interviews with club officials and members. Through documentary research, our team collected official documents (laws and regulations, as well as guidelines provided by the IRCCA) and information published on diverse national media outlets on cannabis regulation in general and cannabis clubs in particular. Data collection activities started in March 2015 and were completed in August 2015. The three PIs of the project were

Results

According to the UCCs representatives, cannabis clubs have two main purposes: granting access to cannabis and activism. It is clear that the UCCs have the goal of providing legal, affordable, high-quality, and readily available cannabis with co-production providing a solution to the underproduction that single growers can face.6

Conclusions

In Uruguay, cannabis clubs are one of the three legal ways in which users can obtain cannabis. They enjoy a supportive legal framework that makes them less vulnerable than in others countries where they have become a popular alternative source. Despite different legal framework for CSCs in Spain, Belgium, and Uruguay; these organizations share some problems, although certain challenges are exclusive to the Uruguayan experience. The following contains a preliminary SWOT analysis of UCCs.11

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank Universidad Católica del Uruguay and the Open Society Foundations whose joint efforts funded data collection for this project. Special thanks go to Alejandra Triñanes and Mauricio Coitiño for their work as Research Assistants. We are grateful to two anonymous reviewers that helped us to better contextualize Uruguayan Cannabis Clubs and the differences among them and their counterparts in other parts of the world. Finally, our gratitude goes to all the authorities and

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