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Dope smokers say Teesside’s struggling pubs could be converted into cannabis clubs.

The claims come after Teesside Cannabis Club members streamed themselves smoking spliffs over Facebook at a Christmas party.

Pensioners in their 70s were among those skinning up at the event, which was held to raise support of the group’s fight to legalise cannabis.

Cannabis is currently an illegal Class B drug. However, the group’s chairman thinks if dope laws are relaxed it could spark an economic boom on Teesside.

“Cannabis could be a massive part of the regeneration in the North East,” said John Holliday.

Neighbouring Durham Constabulary effectively legalised weed after it revealed it would no longer prosecute people smoking or growing small amounts.

Cleveland Police said it will continue to enforce drug laws, but John thinks the North-east should take the lead.

“There are pubs and social clubs closing down every week, but look at Colorado in the USA where this has been legalised - there are more cannabis dispensaries there now than Starbucks or McDonald’s.”

“I’m personally not a fan of the Amsterdam system - I wouldn’t want to walk down Linthorpe Road and walk past people, much like because I don’t drink, I don’t want to walk past drunk people in a bar.

“But I would like to see these places become private members clubs where people can come and have a smoke.”

(Image: Peter Reimann)

His vision is similar to the Christmas and New Year smoking sessions the group held at a secret Teesside venue.

Dozens of smokers attended up, with a catering firm even hired to supply the munchies.

And stoners shunned booze - instead making coffee from two Tassimo machines.

Another smoke-in is pencilled in during the next couple of months, but the venue won’t be made public in order to put police off the scent.

The club is behind the annual Redcar Rugby Club Canna Campfest, a cannabis festival which was met with a blaze of publicity this year after police made no arrests - despite people flouting drug laws by publicly lighting up.

But John said with no complaints at any of these events either, and he added: “We don’t want to waste police time, or taxpayer’s money by having them come.

“But we are not going to change the law by sitting around talking rubbish so that’s why we want to raise the issue.

“The UK Government is starting to come around to this, but we need the legislation changing now.”