Cannabis Social Club

A Cannabis Social Club (CSC), sometimes called Cannabis Club, Cannabis Association, or Teapad, is a type of cannabis retail outlet, an industry model for regulated cannabis organised as non-profit cooperatives in which cannabis is cultivated, shared, and enjoyed collectively, usually for the purpose of relaxing or for social communion.

These places differ from standard cannabis dispensaries, or Dutch coffeeshops, in that those are operating in a for-profit basis open to all adults, whereas Cannabis Clubs operate on non-profit grounds and only allow access to registered members. Research suggests that CSCs can have positive outcomes in terms of public health and harm reduction.

History

1920s and the early concept in Northern America

Cannabis consumers clubs became popular in the United States during the Prohibition era (1920–1933). Cannabis was often used as a legal intoxicant since alcohol was illegal. Teapads were developed as clubs in urban areas where jazz music was performed and cannabis was consumed.

Teapads usually catered to those in the jazz scene and were usually furnished comfortably, often playing jazz music. Music in homage from these clubs arose; Gene Krupa even composed an entire album named "Teapad Songs Volume 1".

These clubs disappeared after cannabis became illegal, although some groups (such as the early San Francisco Cannabis Buyers Club) continued to operate a model with similar tenets.

2000s and the European model

During the 1990s and early 2000s, an important number of "cannabis users associations" appeared in Spain, mostly the Basque country and Catalonia regions.