Haze Labs’ Call for Change: Time to Build a Regulated Cannabis Social Club Model in the UK

Jay-Paul Jones
Oct 14
5 min read

At Haze Labs, we believe the UK can—and must—learn from what’s working elsewhere. After years of seeing countless patients, families, and community members suffer because of regulatory gaps, lack of safe supply, and criminal risk, we are calling for UK policy reform to enable regulated Cannabis Social Clubs (CSCs) with on-site cultivation, clear membership limits, and strong public-health safeguards—modelled in part on Spain’s CSCs.

We’ve already done much of the groundwork. Now is the time to pilot a new framework, to protect lives, improve quality of care, and reduce harm.

Current State of UK Medical Cannabis & Why Reform is Urgent

We now have solid data showing just how limited access is, and who's bearing the burden:

Since November 2018 when CBPMs became legal under defined conditions, there have been more than 89,000 private prescriptions for unlicensed cannabis medicines—but fewer than five via the NHS in that category. The Cannabis Pages

In calendar 2023, there were about 5,192 prescriptions for licensed cannabis-based medicines (e.g. Sativex, Epidyolex, Nabilone) in the community via the NHS. In 2022 that was ~4,003. UK Parliament+2House of Commons Library+2

Between July 2022 – June 2023 vs same period the year before, prescriptions for unlicensed CBPMs more than doubled (to ~177,566 items) through private clinics. The NHS portions remain extremely small. Cannabis Law Report+1

Patient demand is high: surveys estimate over 1.4 million people in the UK currently use illicit cannabis for medical reasons, citing lack of lawful access. PubMed Central+1

These gaps have real consequences: people paying high prices in private clinics, using unregulated sources (with unknown safety), and facing legal jeopardy.

What Haze Labs Has Already Achieved

(So you see, Haze Labs is not speaking hypothetically—we’ve been delivering in the real world, and building trust.)

Community education: We’ve put on dozens of workshops and information sessions covering safer consumption, medical interactions, and navigating the legal medical cannabis system.

Membership and peer support infrastructure: We have established membership protocols, verified IDs, and internal rules to ensure safety and accountability.

Harm reduction practices: We offer guidance on quality, contamination, mental health referrals, and safer inhalation or alternate routes of use.

Transparent operations: We publish our policies, costs, and have submitted our safe-use protocols for external feedback.

Advocacy and legal engagement: We have met with local councils, health authorities, and legal experts to explore how CSCs could fit within or alongside UK law.

These are not small steps. They demonstrate that a UK CSC isn’t fantasy—it’s feasible, safe, and already partly operational in the parts we control.

Learning from Spain & Others: What Works

From Spain’s CSC model and other jurisdictions, we find:

Non-profit, member-only clubs that cultivate on site to meet members’ needs, with tight controls on output and no profit motive.

Daily or per-member use limits (commonly 7 grams per day per member in many clubs) to prevent oversupply and diversion.

Clear membership requirements (18+, ID verification, residence), private premises, no public advertising.

Emphasis on harm reduction: education, traceability, potency labelling, mental health services.

These elements reduce public dealing, reduce health risks, and increase transparency. Clubs in Spain have reported fewer emergency incidents, better information among users, and more stability of supply for members.

Our Proposal: A UK Pilot Programme

Haze Labs is advocating for a UK Pilot Programme to trial this CSC model under controlled, regulated conditions. Here’s what it should include:

Element	Proposed Plan
Scope / Jurisdiction	Pilot in several UK regions (e.g. Wales, Ireland, Scotland and England).
Licensing / Legal carve-out	Grant pilot clubs a temporary licence under amended sections of the Misuse of Drugs Act or via regulation, so that cultivation for members and small supply (within strict limits) is lawful.
Cultivation & output limits	For example: up to 30 mature plants per club, or output matching 7 grams/day/member, based on membership size, with a cap (say 200 members) per club.
Membership rules	Mandatory age 18+, residence / ID verification, closed membership, maximum member numbers, controlled within the club.
Safety, health & harm reduction	Trained staff, medical referrals, education, mental health screening, drug interaction guidance, safe ingestion methods.
Oversight & transparency	Annual audits, local authority / public health / Home Office inspections, tracked records (anonymous), public reporting on safety and usage metrics.
Evaluation metrics	Collection of data on health outcomes, emergency incidents, legal conflicts, patient satisfaction, cost to members, impact on law enforcement / public order.

We propose the pilot run for 2-3 years, with rigorous evaluation and clear go/no-go criteria.

The Massive Benefits: What’s in It for the UK

Improved safety: members will avoid adulterated products, unknown potency, unsafe supply chains. Better health outcomes.

Increased legal protection: regulated clubs reduce risk of small users getting criminalised.

Better patient access: for many with chronic conditions who cannot access CBPMs via NHS due to cost or restrictive criteria.

Public health cost savings: fewer emergency healthcare incidents, fewer policing resources spent on low-level cannabis offences.

Data for better policy: real-world evidence collected by pilot clubs can inform national regulation and NICE guidance.

Social and mental-health improvements: sense of community, reduced stigma, better mental health through peer support.

Supporting Data & UK Facts

The NHS has dispensed 24,395 items of licensed cannabis-based medicines in the community from 2018 to Sept 2024. UK Parliament

Unlicensed CBPM prescriptions have risen sharply: 177,566 items between 1 July 2022 and 30 June 2023, up from ~81,476 the previous year, primarily via private providers. Cannabis Law Report

Only very few NHS prescriptions exist for unlicensed cannabis medicines (fewer than five), highlighting how small legal NHS access remains. UK Parliament+2The Cannabis Pages+2

Legal & Policy Changes We Need

An amendment to the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 or associated regulations, to allow licensed CSCs with non-profit cultivation for members.
Creation of a Cannabis Social Club Licence scheme under Home Office / Department of Health oversight.
Clear statutory limits: plant numbers, grams per day/week or month, membership caps.
Inspections, quality assurance, transparency requirements.
Legal protections for members & staff of pilot programmes from prosecution for supply/cultivation within the pilot’s regulated scope.
Support from public health / local government: planning permissions, safety standards, environmental standards.

Haze Labs’ Callout

We are ready to partner with government, public health, and local authorities. Here’s what we ask:

Launch a Pilot Programme under law that allows a few CSCs to operate with on-site cultivation and controlled supply for members.

Fund evaluation and research around these pilots.
Include patient and community voices in designing the regulations.
Ensure national consistency so pilot results can scale, not simply be isolated exceptions.

Conclusion

Haze Labs is not asking for a vague promise. We are asking for action: the kind of pilot programme that tests a Spanish-style CSC model here in the UK—with structure, limits, legal clarity, and public health at its centre.

We know the demand is real. We know the risks of inaction are high. But we also know a safer, fairer model is possible—one that protects patients and communities, reduces harm, and replaces stigma with science.

Join us. Let’s pilot this change. Let’s cultivate hope.