It Begins February 28th: Everything You Need To Know About Opening A Cannabis Association In Malta
After a bumpy 2022, Malta’s cannabis authority has rolled out the criteria for anyone interested in opening their own legal cannabis club on the island.
With the application process opening on 28th February, the ins and outs of what the government expects from potential association owners – who will need to work within a non-profit framework – have finally been made public.
Reforms Junior Minister Rebecca Buttigieg along with Authority for the Responsible Use of Cannabis Leonid McKay emphasised that this was the first legal framework of its kind in Europe, noting that this was a “pioneering” legal move… though that “mistakes” can be expected to be made on such a new front.
Here’s everything you’ll need to do if you want to open up your own cannabis association in Malta.
Hundreds of potential cannabis club owners attending ARUC's convention in MFCC, Ta' Qali
It will cost at least €1,000 to apply, and after approval, one will be interviewed before approval is given for the actual setting up.
Each organisation will be responsible for the entire cannabis journey – from seed to sale. Clubs must grow their own cannabis, and cannot buy from a third party or another organisation.
Each club must present both a location for their club, as well as where their grow field will be. Grow fields cannot be visible by the public – so outdoor fields must be held within a structure such as a greenhouse.
Fields will need to have certain criteria, such as dedicated CCTV and a ventilation system.
Any license given is valid for one year.
A percentage of application fees will go towards harm reduction
Each organisation needs two founders, who do not need to be Maltese. The administrators of the club however must have been a Maltese resident for at least five years.
All clubs need to be 250 metres away from schools and youth centre, but can be set up in residential areas as well.
Signage cannot advertise cannabis in anyway, with club names that include some form of a promotional term – eg. Happy Cannabis Smoke Malta – may be rejected on promotional grounds.
Tax will be paid on profit made; discussions are still underway with the VAT commissioner to ensure whether VAT will be charged on cannabis
Clubs should aim to price their cannabis lower than the black market; there will be no price capping.
There will also be no THC capping.
Each club can hold up to 500g on their premises; cannabis amount caps will be determined by how many members each club has, with the cap rising as members increase.
Each club can have a maximum of 500 members; an individual can only be a member of one club at a time
Clubs can also sell cannabis related materials such as grinders, and may serve drinks, but not alcohol.
There will be no pre-rolled joints on sale.
Seeds can be obtained within the European Union as well as other approved jurisdictions. There is no limit to how many seeds one can purchase
If you currently have a field being used for a purpose, you can apply with the Ministry of Agriculture to change the purpose of the field to cannabis growing.
Anyone found breaking any of the above rules and criteria will be warning via warning letters before take action by suspending or revoking the club’s licence and confiscating their cannabis products according to legal standards.
Will you be applying to open a cannabis club in Malta this year?
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