Spanish hamlet votes on cannabis-growing plan

A Spanish hamlet of mostly retirees is voting on whether it should allow cannabis-growing as a source of revenue to pay off its debt.

The referendum is being held today in Rasquera, population 960, in the north-eastern Catalonia region.

The seven-member town council first approved the idea in March, but such controversy ensued that the mayor agreed to put it to a referendum.

At least 75% of the votes must be in favour for the plan to go ahead. If that happens, a plot of land will be leased to an association of cannabis growers in Barcelona who would grow the plants and pay Rasquera €1.3m.

The Spanish government has warned, however, that this kind of large-scale cultivation of the plant would be illegal.