Being in Barcelona for the International Cannabis Awards and Spannabis Fair Week is like visiting the Holy Grail of the marijuana world. Thousands of enthusiasts descended upon the glorious ancient city of Barcelona on the Spanish Mediterranean coast, both as tourists and smokers, eager to immerse themselves in the sights and the smokes.
Unfortunately, the local government decided that Spannabis Week 2024 was the prime time to raid clubs and instill fear. Reportedly, at least 20 were raided during the week. If you’re inside, all is well, but once you step out of the premises, they’re free to arrest you, confiscate your product, and issue a hefty fine.
So the best option is to tuck your marijuana into your underwear, the only place they won’t check. Spain remains in a āgray areaā. The war on cannabis has not yet been won in this country! 😂👇🏻
Spannabis Barcelona 2024
The fair featured a 10,000 m2 exhibition space with national and international companies related to the cannabis industry, with a significant portion dedicated to CBD and industrial hemp.
Numerous cannabis-related concerts were also held: reggae, dub, dancehall, hip hop, soul, jazz, funk, afrobeat, drum&bass, dubwise, Neurofunk, electronic music, tropical rhythms, and black music, among many others!
In addition to the fair, visiting the Hashish, Marijuana, and Hemp Museum was a must during the fair. Located within the impressive Palau Mornau, a family palace built in the 15th century on a side street in the heart of the old Gothic city, this is the largest museum dedicated exclusively to cannabis in the world. Its collections are astonishing.
Exhibits included the many uses of hemp throughout the centuries, and even an ancient hemp loom for weaving fabric, pipes from all corners of the world, ancient classical paintings of hemp and hashish consumption, and fascinating mementos from the more recent years of the war on drugs (which we’re still in).
Spannabis Bilbao 2024
Spannabis, the world’s largest cannabis fair, will be held again in Bilbao from September 20th to 22nd, 2024!
Smoking Paper at Spannabis Barcelona
And of courseā¦ Smoking was very active at the fair! With a booth filled with our top products, we could talk to thousands of people about cannabis and our different types of papers, and hundreds of people came to get tattoos at our booth! Additionally, our Smoking Fly Machine was a big hit 😏!
And of course, we had the opportunity to showcase our new Supreme rolling paper! They loved it!
Celebrating the International Cannabis Awards
On Wednesday night, at the International Cannabis Awards gala, it seemed like everyone had embraced cannabis and that the time had come to celebrate the plant freely. The elegant event was held at La Llotja, a 14th-century stone building that was used as a stock exchange and customs center for Barcelona for hundreds of years.
Beautiful stone statues adorned the main halls, where guests gathered to sip champagne and sample savory delights under the imposing Gothic columns, highlighted with emerald green lighting. Attire ranged from jeans to gala dresses, and everyone wore a relaxed smile.
After the reception, everyone gathered for the awards ceremony. Since this was the inaugural ICA, the focus was on ancillary products and honoring cannabis luminaries from around the world. Next year, the event will also feature cannabis flowers and products from California, New York, and Europe, each tested in their local area, and then judges will convene to choose the overall winners. āWe will move the judges, not the flowerā, explained co-producer Sergio MartĆnez.
The winners were decided by popular vote cast by over 11,000 people. The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Steve DeAngelo. Humboldt Seed Company took second place in the Best Global Seedbank category, behind Royal Queen Seeds which took home the gold.
Jimmy Divine won the Influencer on Social Media award and Luna Stower received the winning cup for Community Cultivation. Other categories this year included Best Nutrient, Best Vaping Device, Best Rolling Papers, and Best Ventilation, among others!
We can’t wait for the next edition of Spannabis!
