The east district of Amsterdam might begin a four-year experiment where weed will be fully legal, paving the way for the Netherlands out of the weird limbo of tolerance.
After a long discussion about how Amsterdam can try legalising cannabis, the city has designated Amsterdam East as the guinea pig for this trial, due to its number of coffeeshops, reports Het Parool.
Amsterdam may soon create a special bubble in the neighbourhood where growing, selling, and buying weed will be fully legalised with the aim of observing its effect on society and public health.
Buying weed in the Netherlands
To the surprise of many (yes, especially you, tourists), buying large amounts of weed is actually illegal in the Netherlands.
The toleration policy means that coffeeshops can buy and sell cannabis, but they are still technically considered criminals.
Liberalising the weed policy in the Netherlands would make growing and buying weed even easier.
1. Holland isn't a country. It's called The Netherlands.
— Vincent Adultman (@TatataToddC) April 27, 2021
Saying "Holland" is like saying that California = the USA.
2. Weed isn't legal in The Netherlands, it's tolerated. Meaning that cops just don't care.
The smoky trial will begin quite soon, in the first quarter of 2024, and is expected to last between four to five and a half years. Amsterdam’s mayor, the chief public prosecutor, and the police chief are already on board.
For weed buying and selling to be made even easier in the future, the trial will need to show positive effects on crime, safety, and public health.
READ MORE | Smoking weed in Amsterdam: ultimate guide [Updated 2023]
And guess what? Soon, your local coffeeshop outside of Amsterdam might soon also give it a try.
Quite a few municipalities are interested in participating in legalising weed for a few years to see the effects, such as Groningen, Nijmegen, Breda, Tilburg, and Maastricht.
What do you think about this experiment? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
