Thinking of rolling up a joint for some pre-weekend rest and relaxation? Fun fact: this may be the first time you’re doing so *legally* in the Netherlands! 💨
(Specifically if you’re living in Brabant. 👀)
Today, 19 coffeeshops across Breda and Tilburg will sell legally grown weed for the first time as part of a new experiment. For the next six months, these coffeeshops will receive weed from three legal growers.
The hope is that following the test phase, even more growers will be permitted to legally supply weed, and the trial can expand, the NOS reports.
Isn’t weed already legal?
Wait, you might be thinking. Wasn’t weed already legal in the Netherlands? 🤔
Nope, it actually wasn’t! Prior to today (December 15), both using and dealing weed was only ‘tolerated’ or gedoogd by the government.
Known as the gedoogbeleid (tolerance policy), this ruling permitted coffee shops to sell — and people to possess — a certain amount of weed and not be prosecuted for it.
First adopted in the 1970s, this policy was intended to differentiate the treatment of hard and soft drugs.
Instead, however, it’s created a rather confusing legal environment that many coffee shop owners and weed smokers would prefer clarity on.
Enter… the Dutch government’s ‘weed experiment’
Pens and paper down please, because this isn’t a test you can study for!
What this experiment entails is allowing weed suppliers to operate legally in around 11 municipalities.
All coffeeshops within those municipalities are obligated to take part, and must now keep accurate records of how much they buy and sell.
Over the next four years, independent researchers are going to be monitoring the effects of weed being legalised and tracking the strength of what is on the market.
Given that weed can occasionally contain dangerous heavy metals, the levels of these will also be monitored.
It’s hoped that this new policy will reduce the petty crime rates and antisocial behaviour associated with the current weed laws, as well as regulate the supply chain to coffee shops.
However, with the possibility of anti-weed Geert Wilders at the helm in the future, it remains to be seen how long this experiment will last.
What do you think of the government’s decision to legalise weed? Tell us all your thoughts in the comments below!