A pilot scheme introducing the legal sale and production of cannabis in the Netherlands is due to be expanded to eight more cities across the country.
In December 2023, the Dutch government embarked on a pilot scheme to regulate the production of cannabis to supply the country’s ‘coffeeshops’.
The initiative has now been expanded across the country, with the aim of streamlining the process and ensuring safer and better controlled distribution of cannabis products.
The experiment will now be extended to eight additional cities, including Groningen, Zaanstad, Almere, Arnhem, Nijmegen, Voorne aan Zee, Heerlen and Maastricht, completing the initial phase which launched in Breda and Tilburg at the end of last year.
The primary objective of this phase is to “optimise” the “quantity, quality and diversity” of cannabis products available in cannabis cafes, commonly called “coffeeshops”. Cafes in these cities will now be allowed to sell both illegal cannabis and cannabis produced by licensed cultivators.
Currently, three suppliers are fully operational producing regulated cannabis, and authorities are optimistic that two more will begin operations by September.
It is hoped that the 80 coffeeshops participating in the trial will only be able to sell legal products starting that month. This measure is essential to achieve the objective of the experiment, namely the gradual elimination of the so-called “backdoor” policy.
This policy , introduced in the 1970s , decriminalised the possession of small quantities of cannabis and allowed the creation of licensed sales outlets. However, it simultaneously prohibits production and wholesale sales, creating a “door in, door out” system. While consumers can legally purchase cannabis from coffeeshops, production and the supply chain remain illicit, which has given rise to significant criminal activity.
Addressing Crime and Safety Concerns
This dual system has led to many problems, including theft, violence and money laundering. Additionally, consumers often lack information about the exact composition of the cannabis they consume, leading to health risks that health services cannot effectively manage.
Paul Delpa, mayor of Breda and strong advocate of a regulated system, stressed that the fundamental objective of the experiment was safety.
In an interview with Dutch News last year, Mr Delpa said: “Dutch weed policy is quite sneaky. People can buy it legally in coffeeshops, but the production of the weed and the purchasing part (the back door) from the store owners is illegal. This means that there is a large criminal world that thrives on producing the weed and selling it to stores. That must change.”
Despite the concerns of the new government coalition, a majority of deputies voted against the proposal of the PVV, a far-right party, to interrupt the experiment. Additionally, a proposal to include Amsterdam’s eastern district in the trial was rejected at the last minute.
The success of this experiment could pave the way for a fully regulated cannabis market in the Netherlands, setting a precedent for other countries facing similar problems.
This article was originally published by Newsweed and is reprinted here with permission.
The post The Netherlands expands legal cannabis pilot appeared first on Cannabis Health News.
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Author: Aurélien Bernard
