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Coffee Shops in Barcelona: How to Get Membership

Feature image for Barcelona Coffeeshops Article

Barcelona coffee shops are private by law; they are quite different from Amsterdam’s coffee shops or Denver’s dispensaries. I get several hundred emails each month from people asking questions about the coffee shops in Barcelona, and it’s obvious that there is a lot of misinformation out there. If you’re looking to get a membership at a coffee shop in Barcelona, it’s important that you understand that you will be held to a higher standard as a member than at a public dispensary or coffeeshop. Therefore, you should commit these study points to memory so that – if you do become a member of a Barcelona coffee shop – you’ll be a valuable new member and not just a selfish turd that only cares about getting high.

How to Join a Coffee Shop in Barcelona, Spain

Membership card for Sweet Dreams coffee shop Barcelona
This is the author’s membership card from the Sweet Dreams private cannabis club in Barcelona, Spain. You must have your membership card present every time you enter a weed club in Barcelona.

*Barcelona Coffee Shops Are Private – you cannot just walk in and join. You need to be sponsored by a current member of the club, and you need to complete an application with that sponsor present (in most cases), and pay a registration fee. Sometimes there is a review and approval process. Act like a disinterested tourist or a rowdy party boy and you’ll probably be rejected. Bye!

CLICK HERE TO APPLY FOR MEMBERSHIP NOW

(This is a preliminary application process valid as of 2018; not all who apply will qualify for membership based on Spanish law and club policy. This process is not meant to be promotional in any way, it is merely intended to properly direct the hundreds of unsolicited emails that I receive each week. Application for Barcelona cannabis club membership is general and is not necessarily applied to any particular club unless the applicant fully qualifies.)

*Coffee Shops in Barcelona Charge a Very Small Yearly Fee – usually around 25 to 50 Euro. If you don’t think that a few dozen Euro is worth it to have a beautiful, well appointed place to safely acquire and smoke some of the world’s best cannabis; to have a place to meet like-minded people without fear of persecution, and to have all of the benefits these clubs provide – game nights, pool tables, video games, weed tastings, free dinners, live music, free snacks, etc. – then you can pound sand up your ass and take your business back to the street.

Membership card for Green Age coffee shop in Barcelona Spain
The author’s membership card to the old Green Age club, which is still in operation as one of the oldest coffeeshops in Barcelona.

*Barcelona Coffee Shops Are Safe – Why do some of you write to me and ask me if the club I am considering sponsoring you at is safe? As if I am going to say; “No, it is a very dangerous club. You should not go to any coffee shops in Barcelona without being armed.” Of course they’re safe! All of the many coffee shops in Madrid, Barcelona, and anywhere else in Spain that I have been to are extremely safe and professional; just like nearly every other business you’ll enter in a day.

My wife is a dainty little thing and she’s as naive as a newborn titmouse, but I’d send her to any of the Barcelona cannabis clubs I frequent on her own, and wouldn’t think any more of it than if she had just left for the market.

Membership card for ABCDA coffee shop in Barcelona
This is the author’s membership card to ABCDA – one of the oldest coffeeshops in Barcelona. Now defunct, ABCDA produced some of the best marijuana in Barcelona, but eventually, police shut the club down permanently after raiding several grow operations based there.

*You Are Permitted to Take Up to 98 Grams From the Club Each Month, Maximum of 5 Grams Daily – You must reimburse the club for the marijuana products that you take. You are not buying anything. If you are a member, then you and everyone else shares the harvest and the expenses related to it. So when you go to a coffee shop in Barcelona, you are simply reimbursing the club’s treasury for your share of marijuana. You are not buying it. Remember this.

*Yes, You Can Take Weed Out of the Club – Everyone does. But keep this in mind: possession of marijuana in Barcelona is only permissible in private. You can use cannabis at home, or you can use it in the club. When you take marijuana products out of the clubs or coffee shops, you are at risk. If you are stopped by the authorities and they find your weed, they will take it and fine you. This is not a criminal offense, so don’t pee your pants. Instead, if you decide to take cannabis out of the club, place it in your undergarments and quickly take it home or to a private location. Don’t be the asshole that walks down La Rambla smoking a joint.

Membership card for Kush coffee shop in Barcelona
The author’s membership card for the infamous Kush cannabis club in Barcelona. Kush was closed repeatedly by authorities, but defiance on the part of the club’s management let it reopen year after year.

*You Will Need an Address in Spain and a Passport or NIE Card to Join a Coffee Shop in Barcelona – No, the club will not accept a photocopy, you must have the actual ID card present.  In most cases, you can use any valid passport, driver’s license, state or regional ID, visa with a photo, etc.  You must have this ID and your membership card present every time you enter a private coffee shop in Barcelona.

*If You Are Under 18, You Cannot Join – Sorry, it’s against the law. In fact, at many coffee shops, you cannot join if you are younger than 21 years old.  Each club has its own rules, but none can allow members who are under age 18.  In general, most cannabis clubs in Spain are reserved for members who are 21+.  This is especially true with cannabis clubs in Madrid, but Barcelona does have some 18+ clubs, so do your homework and ask about the age requirements  before you go through the process to attempt to join a coffeeshop in Barcelona.

Membership card for RDM coffee shop in Barcelona
The author’s membership card for RDM (Rincon de Maria) cannabis club in Barcelona. Years ago RDM was shut down by authorities for an extended period, but it has been open for 2 years now and is considered one of the strongest and most difficult-to-get-into coffeeshops in Barcelona.

*Most of Barcelona’s Coffee Shops Offer Medicinal-Grade Cured Flowers and at Least One or Two Concentrates or Value-Added Products like Hash, Wax, Shatter, Edibles, Oils, Candies, Creams, and so on – What each club offers changes approximately once every two weeks, and I don’t have time to keep track. So no, I cannot tell you what strains or products the club has available. I can only tell you that the clubs I am a member of always choose excellent, premium strains and produce some of the world’s best, freshest marijuana and other products.  Because product availability changes so often, it’s best to check with the club before you apply, and to understand that products can be sold out, discontinued, or unavailable at any time.

*You Can Join More Than One Coffee Shop in Barcelona – If you want, you can create an entire tour of coffee shops, provided you can get someone to sponsor you at each one.  Here are a few things to keep in mind about joining multiple cannabis social clubs in Barna (Barna is the nickname of Barcelona, not Barca.  Barca is the nickname for the city’s football [soccer] team);

*The process of joining one of Barcelona’s coffee shops generally requires anywhere from 10 to 25 minutes of your time.

*In most cases you can acquire and consume cannabis the same day you join.

Membership card for Jammin coffee shop in Barcelona
The author’s membership card to Jammin’ – a Rastafarian style Barcelona smoker’s club.

*Once you are a member, you cannot sponsor new members for a couple of weeks or more, depending on the club’s policies.

*If there is a large group of you visiting Barcelona, it is possible for all or most of your group to join and enjoy the club/s together. There is usually plenty of room, but if you have doubts, just send me an email and I will let you know.

*Finally, There Are No Such Things as Coffee Shops in Barcelona – They’re not called coffee shops at all!  No one here refers to the cannabis clubs in Barcelona as “coffeeshops,” except perhaps tourists who come from the Netherlands or the United Kingdom, where that is the term they have grown up with. All over Spain, these establishments are referred to as social clubs or associations. The only reason that I wrote this article using the terms “Barcelona coffee shop” and the like is because I noticed in my analytics and tracking software that the vast majority of people use Google to search for cannabis clubs in Barcelona using the term “coffee shops;” probably because that’s what most of the world has been hearing out of Amsterdam for the last forty years. So if you’re looking to become a member of a “coffee shop in Barcelona,” you should probably start by referring to these exceptional clubs by their proper terms:

Cannabis Club, Cannabis Association, Social Club, and, locally, Asociaciones de Cannabica.

You can also check out the following terrible video I made, which will give you a glimpse of what it’s like inside of Barcelona’s cannabis clubs:

[youtube id=”FbmDzoVrU50″ width=”600″ height=”350″]

Membership card for Smoke Green coffee shop in Barcelona
The author’s membership card to Smoke Green club in Barcelona.

 

Membership card for Alhambra coffeeshop in Barcelona
The author’s membership card to Alhambra, a Middle-Eastern style cannabis club in Barcelona that has been closed for several years now.

 

CLICK HERE TO APPLY FOR MEMBERSHIP

(This is a preliminary application process valid as of 2018; not all who apply will qualify for membership based on Spanish law and club policy. Application for membership is general and is not necessarily applied to any particular club unless the applicant fully qualifies.)

 

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156 thoughts on “Coffee Shops in Barcelona: How to Get Membership

  1. Hi Russ,

    Thanks for taking the time to help people out in the way you are, it’s a great public service. Just a question about the basic criteria, I’m 29 and visiting Barcelona for a few days at the end of May with some friends. We’re staying in an apartment and I intend to use for recreational purposes. I am willing to pay a reasonably priced registration fee. Would you recommend say if 2 or 3 out of the group want to smoke it would be easier for one person to register and then distribute what they can get to the group back home or would you recommend each individual register, say if the amount allowed to be taken home is very small? Also will there likely be difficulties with someone like myself, a short term stay tourist, getting access to a members club?

  2. A “professional writer” and “certified search marketer” … Where did you go to college? You don’t seem to mention it in your biography?

    1. Why would I? This is a blog about cannabis; I am not interested in nor obligated to provide a resume or other detailed personal information in my author bio. That’s what LinkedIn and other sources of similar information are for. If you are interested in such information you can easily search for it or simply ask, instead of leaving your snotty little comment.

  3. Hello, i was wondering if there’s possibility to go to a club before tuesday, cause thats the day i travel home. Thankful for answers

    Skickat från min iPhone

  4. Hey Russ,
    Sent you an E-mail seems this is a good way to get a quicker response. Please check your mail, and get back to me as soon as possible.
    Thanks bro,
    Jeremy

  5. Hey man. I arrive in Barcelona on Wednesday and was wondering it you could recommend the best clubs I could join for around 20 euros, and that aren’t too far from Rocafort subway station.

    Cheers, Ben

  6. Hei russ i have send u one mail allready but i have read more about this Nice clubs Know. So my question is If You can help me to be a member of one club? How long time it takes to be a member? Im leaving barcelona on sunday for this time.

  7. Hi russ, great info on your site! Kudos. I have lived in bcn now for 3 weeks and looking for a nice place to chill once in a while after a hard day of work. Send you an email as well. If you can connect me to a good association in my area (poblenou) it would be much appreciated, I have always time in the evenings (if my wife let’s me 😉 l

  8. Hi Russ, I will like you to help me to be member of a nice club, Im from Arabia Saudita and I will travel with my girlfriend and her sisters to barcelona from 5 until 20 of august, we will like all to be members if that is possible since we a re not spanish. thanks man. Amir

  9. hi, me and some friends are traveling to barcelona the first week of august and i would like you to recomend me wich club is the best to visit.

  10. Russ, I have sent you an email. I am in Barcelona just for today. Please help me out. I need your help brother. Thanks

  11. Hey Russ, first of all hats off to what youre doing! Seems like youre helping out a lot of like-minded people.Great website you’ve got, full of good information and fun, I found out about it a couple of weeks ago when I did some research on the spanish situation for smokers…anyways I’m a 24 year old german and was wondering if you could give me some information on the current legal situation in barcelona and maybe help me out in becoming a member of a club…if possible.
    Since I wil arrive in Barcelona next thursday, I will write you an e-mail next wednesday.Looking forward to hear from you.
    Thank’s in advance.
    Fabian

  12. Hey Russ I will be in Barcelona next weekend and was wondering if you could hook me up and help me become a member of one of these clubs?

    Thanks in advance
    Chris

  13. Hi russ, me and my friend have just come to Spain for a few months and are currently staying in a flat in Barcelona. These clubs look great and would love to experience one. I’m 19 and my friend is 18, would you be able to help us get a membership? or would it be better for just one of us? we would be truly grateful. thanks – Harvey

  14. hi russ, after quite some time of living in barcelona, i’ve finally come to here about the private clubs, i got really interested in joining one and went about to ask for info, but it appears like you need to be sponsored by a member right? i was wondering if you could help me out. i would truley be thankful for your support man. peace out

    1. Hi Fando; it’s funny, isn’t it? I moved my family to Barcelona without knowing about these clubs until I was already living in Barceloneta. I assume you must be a Spanish national or have an NIE? Please send me an email to russ@marijuanagames.org, and I will be happy to try to help you. Peace -Russ

  15. hello russ,me and my girlfriend are planning on going to valencia in next few weeks just wondered if you have any contact with any of the clubs in valencia as i haven’t found that much info on any.thanks for your help.

  16. Hi Russ,

    My name is max, 29 years old and I am currently
    visiting Barcelona with my girlfriend.

    I would really like to join a social club (perhaps green age?) while I’m here.

    Would appreciate any assistance as I don’t know any mbera to sponser me

    Thanks in advance my friend

  17. hi russ i am flying out to Salou next year i was wondering if you can get me in touch with a few social clubs or associations plz kind regards

    1. Hi David; with legislation looming regarding Barcelona’s cannabis clubs, I really don’t know what the situation will be like next year. Send me an email in 6 months and I’ll be happy to try to help at that time. Peace -Russ

  18. hello russ my name is shaun im flying out to girona 2morrow with my wife and my friend and saw your site so thought id msg you.
    im 30 years old and so is my wife
    there is 3 of us in the group and would like to be a member of one of the cannabis clubs we come out 3 times a year and would like to go 2morrow around 3pm.

    thank u for your time and hope to hear back from you.

  19. Hi Russ. Very informative article. I have visited Barcelona many times and did not even realise this was going on! I will be in Barcelona as of tomorrow and would love to have a place to go to read a book, away from the clamour of the music festival and enjoy a few smokes. If there is any way you could help to hook me up with a referee and/or recommend some clubs near Poblenou which are worthy of support during my stay that would be awesome. Many thanks

    1. Hi Matt;

      Thank you for your comment. I understand completely – I moved from Germany to Spain without having any real idea what was going on until I was already on the ground and smelled weed everywhere. 😉 There are a couple of other articles you should read that you might find interesting:

      https://marijuanagames.org/10-things-you-need-to-know-about-barcelona-cannabis-clubs/

      https://marijuanagames.org/barcelona-cannabis-social-clubs-vs-amsterdam-coffeeshops/

      I’ll send you a private message, so check your email. Thanks for stopping by! Peace -Russ

  20. Hi Russ .
    I am staying BCN in June 7th~12 with my wife. Can you sponsor us at that time ? I am gonna stay in u232 hotel.
    Is there good cannibus club around ?
    also I am looking for seed as well Is there any clubs got some seed ?
    I will e mail you day before.
    Thank you so much for the bcn cannabis information !

    1. Hi Kwon;

      That’s a good question and it’s one that I don’t know the answer to for certain, but I think it is probably against the law for clubs to provide seeds. At least, I have never been to a club that offered cannabis seeds to its members in any way. However, I believe there are some seed shops and head shops in the city that can provide you with what you are looking for. As far as sponsoring you for membership, all you need to do is email me one day prior to your arrival and I will make the necessary arrangements at that time. Until then, take care. Peace -Russ

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