“For some years, there was the possibility to regulate [cannabis in Spain] and keep it in the hands of those who aren’t crime-related,” said Óscar Parés, deputy director of the Barcelona-based ICEERS, speaking of past efforts to regulate cannabis clubs in regions of Spain like Catalonia. “We missed the train somehow.” Catalonia is home to some of the world’s oldest cannabis consumption spaces, with the first club opening in Barcelona in 2001. As of 2023, Catalonian law enforcement estimates there are 450 cannabis clubs in the region. Catalonia’s clubs have become a model for other European countries looking to legalize cannabis consumption without running afoul of EU and international law.