The Belgian ‘cannabis social clubs’ (CSCs): the middle road between black market and commercial availability?
Cannabis Social Clubs (CSC) are private organizations of users that produce cannabis for nonprofit distribution to adult members to meet their personal needs without having to turn to the black market. The first CSCs emerged around 2002 in Spain, where activists took advantage of a grey area in the drug legislation. Currently there are more than 400 CSCs in Spain. The model inspired Belgian activists to explore grey areas in the Belgian drug legislation and to set up the first Belgian CSC in 2006. In 2013 there were at least 5 Belgian CSCs. This paper describes the organization and structure of these 5 CSCs, and the social responses from law enforcement organizations, the media, and criminal entrepreneurs. The paper’s main objective is to analyse the strengths and weaknesses of the model, as it exists today, and to reflect on the implications for scientists and policymakers.