Albert Tió father to 2 sons 5& 6 and 1 daughter 17, graduated in Sociology and president of the Federation of Autoregulated Cannabis Associations of Catalonia (Fedcac) One of the leaders of the movement for the regulation of cannabis in Spain serving a five years in prison after a Cannabis raid on a grow belonging to the club Airam in Barcelona. Albert has taken his case to the European court of Human rights who have said they will not support him as they do not believe his rights are being violated. Albert is now held in an open prison where he can leave in the morning but has to return in the evenings. He spends about three hours a day in a car making the round trip between Lledoners and his house. In the podcast he tells me about Airam the cannabis association which he is now in prison for and so much more. Thanks for tuning in and I hope you enjoy the conversation.
Timestamps
2:48 How did you get involved with the Cannabis association movement?
7:00 What was the green rose law and how did this allow the cannabis associations?
7:45 Self regulations put in place by the clubs
12:00 Are you serving a prison sentence now for the cannabis bust back in 2014?
13:20 Airam had 4000 members
15:20 Is it just you that was sent to prison or were other members sent too?
17:15 Why cannabis activists should never give up and to keep making noise.
20:15 The fact cannabis consumers from all around Europe head to Spain and Holland supports the need for cannabis access in other European countries.
22:50 How Cannabis prohibition has robbed the world of so much.
23:30 Cannabis being supplied by the black market to cannabis clubs in Spain
26:45 Why whole plant cannabis products are best & why keeping it illegal benefits big pharma.
27:45 How many members of Airam would be classed as a medical user?
28:45 Where have those members gone now that Airam is closed down?
30:50 Project “Green Light”
32:30 Is there any talk in the Spanish government about the success of the Cannabis clubs or the imprisonment of yourself and others?
36:00 I tell Albert about Gino Kenny’s cannabis legalisation bill and Frank Feighan.
38:45 Last Prisoner Project coming to Europe and also plans for a Cannabis village/Theme park
39:45 https://www.juana.guru/ A magazine but also a tool for the movement
41:20 I tell Albert about the protests I have been engaged in here in Cork
43:40 I ask Albert if he would run in the elections.
45:00 “The people are afraid”
45:30 What are the campaigners doing to help you at the moment?
47:20 A negative response form Strasbourg on the Human Rights case
51:35 Albert tells me he hasnt consumed cannabis in 6 months and the reason for this.
56:00 I didn't choose to like Cannabis 59:00 What was the process of the Strasbourg case like?
1:01:05 I ask Albert if he thinks the authorities will try to shut down more associations?
1:05:45 I ask Albert if there is violence in the background between associations and the blackmarket ?
1:08:30 I tell Albert a bit about John Gilligan and his arrest in Spain.
1:09:30 How the media will only report on the negative stories coming from Cannabis associations.
1:10:45 I ask Albert is there somewhere people can go to learn more and support the campaign in Spain.
1:13:35 I ask Albert how if he told his 2 sons that are 5 and 6 that he is in Prison.
1:18:55 I share my experience with Albert of telling my daughter about me being in prison.
1:22:00 I ask Albert if his older daughter has tried Cannabis.
1:25:50 Final Goodbyes