Issue 97 / March 2019

“There are fantastic
people who are
being lost to society
because of our
backwards attitude
to cannabis, and I
want to change that”
went there and I got access
to an abundance of cannabis
products, from chocolates to
oils to the right flowers for my
condition, just because I was in a
community that knew about it. And I was
thinking, ‘Wow! Why is this not in the UK?
How did I not know about this and the benefits of it?
Why are we so behind?’”
In the UK, currently, the dealer is king. Consumers don’t
really know what they’re smoking, because they aren’t offered a
choice. Visitors coming back from Amsterdam will rave about the
different kinds of weed on offer and the varied effects. You’ve got
your indica strain, which is high in cannabinoids (CBD), often a
deep muscle relaxant. You’ve got your sativas, which are usually
high in THC and provide the user with a clear and euphoric high.
And then you’ve got your skunk and haze varieties –
which are magical crosses between the two.
And research in the USA suggests that
different combinations work for seizures,
glaucoma, stress, depression,
insomnia, as a painkiller… the list
goes on and on.
The UKCSC is currently
lobbying members of
parliament, with Stuart
Harper a regular in the
House of Commons
lobbies. “Most political
people that I speak to,
whether it’s an MP or
an aide, or a member
of a think tank – they
all have the same
point of view, that
the drug laws in the
UK are an aberration;
that they happened
quite by accident at a
specific point in time
where public attitude
was set a certain way.
And the whole world
signed up for a set of
rules that no-one really
wanted then, and they
definitely don’t want now.”
Although no one at any
level of government is talking
about legalising cannabis for
recreational usage, there are definite
moves to legalise some sort of medical
marijuana. Interestingly, the investment
firm owned by Theresa May’s husband,
Philip, the Capital Group, is the major investor in GW
Pharmaceuticals, which mass produces CBD oil in the UK for
export, and Tory drugs minister Victoria Atkins’ husband is also
involved with a legal cannabis farm.
However, nothing is straightforward. “If anything they are
looking at additional legislation to restrict CBD sales, so they’re
going in the opposite direction,” Stuart says. “What they want
is control of the medical cannabis market, which is what they’ve
been sold by the investment groups that are bankrolling the
medical cannabis movement in the UK. They want the Canadian
model, which is going to be pretty much mail order. And if you’ve
got a mail order facility, one
of the things that it blocks out
is small vendors. It’s going to be
big corporate contracts that are
awarded. But in this next two years
there is a window of opportunity for the
social club model.”
Although politicians seem wary of any backlash
that could accompany change, the real groundswell towards
toleration seems to be coming from the UK police, in particular
Police Crime Commissioners Ron Hogg (Durham) and Arfon
Jones (North Wales).
Michael Fisher has been running the Teesside Cannabis
Club, on the high street in Stockton-on-Tees, since 2014. They
employ staff through the local Job Centre, pay tax and National
Insurance, and are a registered company. “Durham police and
PCC Ron Hogg got in touch through the media and we
arranged to go and meet at their headquarters,”
Michael explains. “On the back of that, we
stayed in touch and still speak today. It’s
a business relationship. But you’ve
got to always think that the police
can’t condone an illegal activity,
regardless of how good a
friend I am. It’s so black and
white to them. So, I operate
on a very thin line, in the
grey area.”
“Before we were
legally registered we
were just a group of
people who were
committing a crime.
Once we created the
company we became
an actual legal entity.
Everything that we
do is legal, apart from
the consumption
of cannabis on the
premises. We don’t
have people vending
or selling cannabis
in our club. The only
people selling cannabis
is the club itself. It sells
the members’ homegrown
cannabis back to the collective.
Everything else in the club is
entirely legal and above board.”
Greg says that he’s had similar
talks with the crime commissioner of
North Wales, Arfon Jones. “He came up to
me in Parliament and asked me if I would help
to set up cannabis social clubs in his area. He said, ‘We
need to change the situation and I think this is the way to do it.’
There’s more than enough people that want to have access to
these kind of facilities.”
Back at The Chillin’ Rooms, Gary is adamant that he could go
into any economically repressed small town or neighbourhood
and provide employment for all who wanted to work in the
cannabis industry. “From 18 to 80, everyone could have a job,
and receive above national minimum wage, just by growing in
their spare room or by working in a cannabis social club. There
are fantastic people who are being lost to society because of our
backwards attitude to cannabis, and I want to change that.”
Indeed, there are plans to use profits from the club to bring
about regeneration to Kensington, beginning with cosmetically
improving the appearance of the road and moving on from there.
Jamie from Resonator Force: “I grew up around here and the fact
that it’s here is just incredible. It’s a haven, basically. Why should
we be skulking round the corner in the shadows? I could get
nicked for a spliff in my pocket, get a fine, get a criminal record,
or a fella could go out and get four cans of special brew, have a
piss on the phone box, throw up in the street, start singing footy
songs and swearing – no one would say nish. Not a fucking word.
They’d walk past him to strip search two kids in hoodies. It’s
ridiculous.”
Gary introduces me to Gabby, who is a DNA scientist. She
and her boyfriend have travelled from the other side of the
country to attend the Backbone music night. She gives me her
insight: “For thousands and thousands of years we’ve been
experimenting with drugs. We are the most cognitive species on
the planet, so what are we going to do but exercise our minds?”
At 11pm, the lights come on and everyone politely leaves.
There are hugs at the door, and ‘see you later’s. As the last
stragglers file out, Gary muses on the night and the club
members who have helped to make it. “When I used to run the
pub, I saw some horrible things. Family arguments that resulted
in glassings. Fights over nothing. And in The Chillin’ Rooms, there
is none of that. It’s peaceful. Everyone is sociable. It’s civilised. I
have never had trouble in here.”
Whatever your preconceptions are about cannabis, there’s
energy, drive and a feel-good vibe there which should be
experienced even if you don’t smoke. It’s a model for how
things could be. A night out with old friends and new, in a safe
environment with great music and quality cannabis. What more
could you ask for?
There is no doubt in my mind that changes in the
cannabis laws are coming, definitely for medical and maybe
for recreational. But we have to decide whether we want big
business or small community businesses running things, and
if it’s choice between Theresa May’s husband or Gary, I’m with
Gary all day. !
Words: Jah Jussa
Illustration: Hannah Blackman-Kurz / @Hbkurz
Further information about the UK Cannabis Social Clubs can be
found at ukcsc.co.uk.
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