How do coffeeshops get their weed? Governmental trial coming up

The Upper and lower houses of parliament will look at new regulations in a proposal from Minister Bruins for Medical Care and Sport and Minister Grapperhaus of Justice and Security. The regulations for cannabis will change things (to a certain extend at least) in 2019 so listen up. What do we need to know?

Coffeeshops can often be associated with touristic experiences, coffeeshops in Amsterdam have also been associated with criminal activity and violence despite weed’s reputation as a “soft drug”. Today ministers have proposed new regulations to make the growing and distribution much more state-controlled. It will first be tested in a trial.

Coffeeshops regulated by the state

This trial would mean the state would grow their own crops; 10 municipalities would hire growers which in turn would produce weed and hash and deliver this to coffee shops and then the coffee shops would distribute the flower (weed) to people, ergo: you.

In order to decrease variables, all coffee shops in the participating municipalities must participate in the experiment. If the bill passes, these coffee shops and the designated growers must maintain a balanced and transparent administration. Market forces will soon determine the offer and the price. Also, it’s worth noting that the coffee shops participating in this trial phase will stock less than the present 500-gram limit.

Parliament will debate the issue and from the 23th of April 2019 mayors can officially express interest in participating in the experiment. If the regulations get through, the closed circuit of coffee shops in this experiment will undergo a trial phase of a few months.

Do you agree with minister Bruins? Do coffeeshops really need to be more regulated? If you want to visit one before it changes and want to know everything about going to a coffeeshop or where to go, we got you covered! For further discussion, join us on our Facebook page.