Araceli Manjon Interview, Expo Grow Irun 2013

Transcript of interview with Araceli Manjón, ExpoGrow Irún 2013:

Good morning Araceli, we are from Alchimiaweb.com, first of all we would like to thank you for sharing with us a few minutes of your time, for answering a few questions.

First and very quickly, ¿What is your opinion about the current situation of cannabis in Spain?

And do you think the trend will be what it seems to be starting now, heading to the Cannabis Social Clubs or the personal self supply?

Well, the situation is better than in any other place where the prohibition is absolute, In Spain we started from a very favourable scene, which is that consumption has never been punishable, what  along with an undetermined legal framework - generously interpreted - have made possible to develop structures like Social Cannabis Clubs (CSC), so they have become control instruments of the quality of consumption, not consumption.

That’s always better than black market, prohibition, clandestineness, unhealthiness, i mean, everything that entails total prohibition, in that sense,  because it’s enough comparing the cannabis consumption rate from any other substance, because a normalization system is always better, either the clubs or another structure that could be implanted in other countries.

I think that the clubs system - especially lately - is especially important for the efforts they make, the leaders of these clubs are making their situation more regular and more in accordance with the authorities. This effort is, doubtless, what will save them or let them continue.

Ok, thank you. In second place, from the point of view that we have in our commercial sector, ¿what do you think that we could do or... there is already a bit of movement, but what do you believe that would be necessary to achieve normalization, or to help achieving it sooner?

Well, I think that the commercial sector behind the regulated marijuana consumption scene is fairly well structured,
in the sense that it has escaped from the rules of clandestineness, from the rules of unlawfulness.

And all this happens because in the conventions they missed - or didn’t want to include - the seeds, because that’s the touchstone.
If the seeds were in the convention all of his would be punishable without a doubt.

So well, its logic that if a behaviour is permitted then it also has to be allowed everything that makes possible that behaviour.
If consumption is allowed, it has no sense to ban production, transport, etc.

So, from this point of view, it’s a bit striking that such a vast world of illegality has been created from a banned and regulated substance.

Yes, it’s surprising. You have a lot of experience, and you have used all this work and knowledge about drugs in a book with a very convincing title, LA SOLUCIÓN (The Solution), where you are quite clear about that.

¿Could you tell us a few ideas about what led you to write this book, and a little description of its structure, please?

Well, what led me to write this book was, as always, a coincidence.
Well, I was giving a conference, and at the exit there were three publishing houses offering me to write a book. I’d never thought about it in my life, but well, I decided that maybe it was the moment to do it. But the book content is not something casual, it’s the result of twenty years dedicated to drugs in many sectors, in the judicial and political areas, and then in the university environment. I mean, the book is something casual, while the content comes from twenty years of work.

Lastly, ¿are you enjoying the ExpoGrow experience?
¿Are you happy to be able to attend to this second edition of the International Cannabis Social Forum, what do you think?

Yes, yes, despite that it has been a little difficult to come due to work reasons, I did everything possible to be here, and I’m happy,
because here you can see things that you’ve read but never seen before, so I’m really happy.

On the other hand, I think the fact that the fair and the forum are being celebrated in parallel but with a small separation is a very correct idea, because obviously each thing has a different public, and I think the forum, knowing the contents of last year's edition and seeing what I’m seeing this year, is an experience that must continue.

Thank you so much for your time and enjoy the rest of the fair. Thank you.