On 14 December 2021, Malta legalized recreational cannabis for personal use, making Malta the first European nation to approve cannabis for personal use. This new law allows for the creation of cannabis associations in Malta, and this is where Sciberras Advocates can assist with the new cannabis association clubs set ups.
Such clubs will be able cultivate cannabis to sell among members, up to a maximum of 7g per day and 50g per month. Members will also be allowed to buy up to 20 seeds per month from associations they form part of.
The clubs must be run as non-profits and have individuals, rather than companies, registered as their owners. Each association cannot have more than 500 members and must be at least 250m away from schools or youth centres. Associations cannot advertise their services and products or have visible cannabis signs or markings.
The new law also introduces a new regulatory authority to oversee the cannabis sector and all cannabis associations will have to register with the new Responsible Use of Cannabis Authority and file a report every three months with this authority. Membership lists of these cannabis clubs will remain anonymous. In February 2023, Authority for the Responsible Use of Cannabis (ARUC) has published the official licensing guidelines for setting up cannabis clubs in Malta.
Here at Sciberras Advocates we are able to assist in the drafting of the statute of the club and guide you through the whole registration process to set it up as a voluntary organization and also to be able to assist on the maintenance and support of the association from a legal and commercial perspective (subject to authority approval).