Traveling to Europe isn’t for the faint of heart — but with good food, fire terps, and unforgettable people along the way, that’s really all that matters. This year’s Spannabis in Barcelona felt bittersweet. After more than 20 years, it’s rumored to be the final one — marking either the end of an era or the start of something new.
In this interview, I spoke with Journalist and Event Planner Jimi Devine to talk about strains, the scene, and experiences from Barcelona, reflecting on what makes this event so legendary and what the future might hold for the global cannabis community.
Interview with Journalist Jimi Devine at Spannabis, 2025
Bobby Nuggz: How long have you been hosting events and what brought you to hosting Heat Quest in Barcelona?
Jimi: My first events were protests in college and the 2008 Northeast SSDP regional conference. I was on the board at MassCann for a year in 2009 but was more focused on the policy side than the rally; at the time, it was the second largest in the world, and the crew that put it on did a great job.
I left for California in 2009 and would help with stuff here and there but mostly spent the next decade gaming up and writing. Then I started Transbay. It’s been an honor and a lot of fun to experience.
Bobby Nuggz: What’s the premise of the Heat Quest competition and how is judging executed?
Jimi: Heat Quest is more of a networking sesh to help people set their barometers before big events like MJ biz con and Spannabis. It’s the day between Eagle Clash and Spannabis so I didn’t think another contest was the play given the other four rosin contests happening in Spain that week. But I thought there was room for something a little less exclusive, educational to an extent, and a good time.
A lot of people never even get to see real fire in their lives. They don’t know what the mountaintop looks like so I try and get it in the room before they go to these events and must listen to people trying to convince them they have the fire. At least they’ll know what the fire looks like.
And of course, I can’t do it without the support of the brands that understand what we’re trying to do. Past participants have included RTZ from England, Fidel’s, Doja Pak, Broken Promises, and many more hitters over the past three years between Las Vegas and Barcelona.
Bobby Nuggz: As an American, what’s your favorite part about the Spain cannabis culture? Do you think we could adopt some of their regulations to improve things back home?
Jimi: Spanish cannabis regulations or one giant gray area as opposed to well done, but the things I would take out of that gray area are a return to Deli style packaging at the counter and the social aspects. Storing cannabis more homogeneously as opposed to broken down into eighths and grams makes the quality of the cannabis last longer. I prefer cannabis stored in 5 lb lots in Grove bags and packaged as needed as opposed to just packaging the whole run immediately I’m trying to get it out there. Most friends don’t have the shelf space to facilitate getting all that weed two shelves fast enough and the consumers to buy it towards the end aren’t getting the same quality product.
As for the social aspects, cannabis isn’t legal if poor people can’t smoke it for fear of retribution, be it the loss of housing or fines for smoking in an apartment. A lot of cannabis codes are centered around homeowners being able to use it but a lot of other ones prevent people from lower income brackets from having the same access if they don’t own their own home. So social cannabis smoking is more of a class equality thing than anything, otherwise we are living in a cannabis caste system. A lot of the cannabis activists in America over the last 20 years or from middle-class families and above, so this framing of the socioeconomic aspects of consumption isn’t always there.
Bobby Nuggz: Do you have any favorite memories of Spannabis? How has this event inspired you to do what you’re doing in Barcelona?
Jimi: My favorite thing about Spannabis is how many people come up to me and ask questions. Also, Spanish growers, regardless of quality, are more than happy to show me their work without concern of critique. Good genetics are everywhere during the event. This year’s show was something I will never forget. The energy was high, literally. People were ending it with a bang and the lines were down the block the entire time
It’s kind of funny because American growers only bug me if they think they have something special or new but I’m down to look at everything. So, it’s cool to nerd out with everything and smoke heavy at Spannabis. I always say I smoke for every tax bracket. There’s good genetics everywhere and the social clubs are all unique in their own way. Besides that, Spain in general, may have the best street art, food, and culture maybe in the world.
Bobby Nuggz: As someone who is well-traveled, do you have any tips for fellow cannabis enthusiasts who are traveling abroad?
Jimi: It’s best to always research and get to know the place you’re visiting. Don’t be too comfortable. Bring your favorite blunts, everything else you’ll need will be there.
Most of the clubs are only a few euros to enter and their prices are based on quality.
The sketchiest thing I fly with is my Flower Mill but it’s simply a must-have item for me. And if you’re American I just suggest be polite, not everyone is going to be hyped to see us. Starting with good manners is a good way to prevent headaches and running into any issues.
Bobby Nuggz: Where can our readers stay up to date with your journalism and events?
Jimi: My Instagram, X, and Muckrack are good places to keep up with my work.
