Last Chance with Mary Jane: Desperate Spanish Village Turns to Marijuana to Make Ends Meet
- Posted on March 1, 2012 at 5:08pm by
Becket Adams
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If for some reason you think the economic crisis in the eurozone isn’t “that bad,” perhaps this story of desperation will change your mind.
“A tiny Spanish village has voted to lease land for growing marijuana as a source of desperately needed revenue — a unique but legally questionable way of battling an economic crisis highlighted by staggering unemployment and a looming recession,” the Associated Press reports.
A government official with the National Drug Plan said such planting would, in fact, be against the law and that prosecutors would intervene as soon as the first pot seed was sown.
Under Spanish law, the private consumption of cannabis in small amounts is allowed. But growing it for sale, or advertising it or selling it, is illegal, an anti-drug official said.
The village of Rasquera, population 900 and in the northeastern Catalonia region, said its town hall councilors approved the plan Wednesday night in a 4-3 vote.
Rasquera is a picturesque, compact hamlet of stone buildings at the foot of a mountain range in Tarragona province. It has a castle that dates back to the 12th century. But despite its scenic beauty and rustic charm, the village has fallen on hard economic times.
The Barcelona newspaper La Vanguardia says it’s a dying village — its young people leave for a lack of work, and those left behind are desperate for something to curb that trend.
Enter the Last Chance with Mary Jane proposal [Author's note: it's not really called that but it should be].
The idea is for private citizens to lease or lend land to town hall, which would then create a company to manage the land and lease it to an association of marijuana-smokers in Barcelona.
The group that wants to acquire the marijuana, called ABCDA, said on its website that it will make an initial investment of €30,000 ($40,000) but makes no mention of how much it will pay Rasquera per year. A representative said more details would come when ABCDA signs a formal agreement with the village in the coming days.
ABCDA said the project would create 40 jobs in Rasquera — workers to grow, harvest and package the pot — and the marijuana would go to ABCDA members.
Rasquera’s mayor, Bernat Pellisa, hailed the plan.
“It is a question of opportunity, which is going to bring in money and create jobs,” Pellisa said.
He’s also hoping that an increase in demand for black light posters and hacky sacks will contribute to the local economy.
The National Drug Plan official said Thursday the project has zero chance of getting off the ground. If it somehow did, Rasquera’s way of raising money in hard times would indeed be novel. Many Spanish cities and towns are trying to cope by cutting spending on things like social services such as health care and education.
Spain’s deficit for 2011 was 8.5 percent of GDP, and the country is now about to enter another recession, with unemployment at nearly 23 percent.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Amos37
Posted on March 1, 2012 at 9:54pmThey need to start cultivating it here in the U.S. It is such a great cash crop that the government along with private businesses could make billions on. I’ve never been around someone who smoked a joint and went out and did something that someone on alcohol does. yet alcohol is legal. We need to legalize the partaking in the tree of life.
Report Post »TwoMinuteMan
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 12:07amYa. it does wonders for the mexican economy. You are such a fool.
Report Post »starchy
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 8:24am@TWOMINUTEMAN
Report Post »If it were legal in Mexico, it would help them a lot. The direct effect of marijuana being illegal causes the crime and violence that you see there.
closetotheedge
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 9:27amIt’s the U.S.A.’s largest cash crop even as it is ilegal. In California, if it were legalized and sold,the taxes alone would eliminate one of the nations worst deficit per state in less than a year.The whole plant can be used which can’t be said of any other crop.The oil alone from the seeds has powered cars with 0 emisions and reduces car maintenance to a minamum cuz it burns clean,The paper products and the hemp are Eco-friendly with many uses yet to be discovered. And then comes Pharma! They will fight tooth nail to stop it because it would be and is so effective for so many illnesse’s from high blood presure to anxiety,depression,glaucoma,seizures help with eating disorders.menstrual,the effects from chemo any physical (muscle and bone pain) easing the mind as the effects of pain only increases the depression and other ailments associated with it. And the over-crowding in prisons for pot crimes,just in Cali’ would cut the population to a third.The only thing a person might do under the influence is attack a bag of potato chips or a batch of brownies.And no-one has ever overdosed on pot either.But there’s too much money to be made by Pharma/Gov’.Legalize it,tax it,and Meth,Heroin,Crank, and all these Deadly drugs would drop in a month,more or less. Depression alone is multi millons in cash and they use it in children as young as 8.Insanity? yes,when it comes to $$$. You won‘t see many Jamacans’ wearing eye-glasses. Profits are all that matters to Gov’ and Big Pha
Report Post »CleanUpAisle2013
Posted on March 1, 2012 at 8:02pm““A tiny Spanish village has voted to lease land for growing marijuana as a source of desperately needed revenue” Then … “Under Spanish law, the private consumption of cannabis in small amounts is allowed. But growing it for sale, or advertising it or selling it, is illegal, an anti-drug official said.” Am I missing something here or did group A get too high to comprehend Group B’s rules?
Report Post »Norm D. Plume
Posted on March 1, 2012 at 8:26pmSeems to me they’d ought to have people from Group A willing to surround the field and defy those fascists from Group B who would doom their village and their possible route to a livelihood and independence.
Freedom is won in such ways.
Report Post »oldguy49
Posted on March 1, 2012 at 9:41pmif you are stoned and happy with all the diversons on tv……..then the nwo people will have no trouble taking the rest of your liberties away
Report Post »Mateytwo Barreett
Posted on March 1, 2012 at 7:56pmHow about a slightly used solar panel factory. The spanishLIKE those renewable enegy soucres/@
Report Post »Get yuou Quran -while supplies last!
Never Offended
Posted on March 1, 2012 at 6:22pmMarihuana is evil because it makes colored men lust after white women.
No, seriously, that’s why this country made it illegal.
Report Post »CleanUpAisle2013
Posted on March 1, 2012 at 8:00pmWt?????
Report Post »wifezilla
Posted on March 1, 2012 at 8:24pmMany are totally unaware of the racist motivations involved with banning pot.
Report Post »Razorhunters
Posted on March 1, 2012 at 9:59pmis true …search and will see.
well is one of the reasons.
Report Post »timber, big pharma, cotton , tobacco, etc are the others.
skiz
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 8:40am@never~ is totally correct. There is nothing wrong with this herb. I have had doctors tell me that they have never seen a study that found it can harm your body in any way except, inhaling smoke is not good for your lungs. It is a total scam why it is not legal and alcohol is. Alcohol has so many side effects you cant count them all. Nobody has died because of cannabis before! Once again our government will not tell us the truth about things in general. Our prisons are over crowded by people caught with small amounts and it is a crime perpetrated by our government making money on it coming and going. Just like seatbelt laws, DUI laws…dont get me started. Not to mention the economic benefits (@ two minute ~no Mexico has NO LAW that is why cartels and killing are linked to this herb)
Report Post »El Paso Girl
Posted on March 1, 2012 at 5:43pmWay to go Spanish town….. it has many medical benefits.
Report Post »gothope
Posted on March 1, 2012 at 5:39pmIf society ever collapses a whiskey still would be a better idea. You can make that in a couple days. Everybody will be so depressed they will want to drink.
Report Post »MammalOne
Posted on March 1, 2012 at 7:36pmI don’t understand your logic. You still have to grow the corn or grain you’re turning into mash for whiskey. Can you grow corn in 3 days?
Report Post »Norm D. Plume
Posted on March 1, 2012 at 8:29pmNo, but corn and grain are not illegal, and not (yet) so tightly controlled.
Just wait until the crash happens, and the government completely takes over agriculture. Not only will there not be enough to eat, they’ll control what IS grown with a tight fist!
Won’t that be great?! Gotta win that drug war, you know!
Report Post »Razorhunters
Posted on March 1, 2012 at 5:29pmsheriff joe …bc a forgery, barry ss# a fraud.
Report Post »Gerrymanderer
Posted on March 1, 2012 at 5:24pmYou know, you can’t complain when people want to be entrepreneurs to save themselves from economic collapse. The only problem is that these Spaniards want to peddle pot. Dicey issue at best. Let them be free to make money in compliance with responsible vending.
Report Post »MammalOne
Posted on March 1, 2012 at 7:35pmIt’s still better than peddling alcohol.
Report Post »Norm D. Plume
Posted on March 1, 2012 at 8:31pmIt’s not a dicey issue.
It’s a plant.
God put plants on the Earth, and gave man dominion over them.
It is a plant, made by God, and put on Earth for people to use.
It is food.
It is medicine.
It is clothing.
It is paper.
It is oil.
It is plastic.
It is feed for livestock.
It is a livelihood that a free people should be able to pursue.
Report Post »RoqueGerig
Posted on March 2, 2012 at 5:52am@Norm D. Plume, Thank you from this extreme conservative.
Report Post »JohnnyMidknight
Posted on March 1, 2012 at 5:22pmI bet the title of this article was inspired by Tom Petty’s Last Dance with Mary Jane.
Report Post »SoundStride
Posted on March 1, 2012 at 5:21pmReminds me of an old joke. When does a Mexican become a Spaniard? when he marries into your family.
Report Post »momrules
Posted on March 1, 2012 at 5:19pmDesperate people usually take desperate measures. We will be seeing desperate people do a lot of things that they never thought they would do as money, food, gasoline and medicine gets harder to come by in the coming months and years.
Report Post »Razorhunters
Posted on March 1, 2012 at 5:18pmit’ s a dam miracle plant people…get some real information.
Report Post »cancer cure, fuel, clothes etc etc
Chuck Stein
Posted on March 1, 2012 at 6:20pmA lot of great things about hemp fiber. If only they would breed a variety that doesn’t have that mind-destroying THC. That sure would be a boon to humanity.
Report Post »MammalOne
Posted on March 1, 2012 at 7:34pm@CHUCK
“mind-destryoying THC”???
As a neuroscientist at a top US research university and an avid smoker of marijuana since my early teens, I can assure you THC does no such thing. Most of my friends don’t smoke and are less educated, less motivated, and less healthy than myself.
Report Post »Alcohol, on the other hand, literally inhibits neuronal plasticity and long term, heavy usage does in fact lead to the death of neurons (i.e. “destroys” your brain). No such effects have ever been observed in the many decades of research on heavy marijuana users.
Drop the beer and pick up the safer, healthier, and more logical substance.
Razorhunters
Posted on March 1, 2012 at 10:01pmthe thc is one of the best pain relievers ever…
you are not ready yet, back into the box.
Report Post »FASTCOMPANY
Posted on March 1, 2012 at 5:18pmnapalm it.
Report Post »Norm D. Plume
Posted on March 1, 2012 at 8:33pmWhile you’re at it, slaughter their cattle and sheep, too. That‘ll learn ’em, durn ‘em.
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