Netherlands tests sale of legally grown marijuana

Drugs - Netherlands tests sale of legally grown marijuana

An experiment with the sale of legally grown marijuana began in the Netherlands on Friday. Coffeeshops in the southern cities of Tilburg and Breda are the first to be allowed to sell the legally grown drugs. This is initially a test phase.

Health Minister Ernst Kuipers and the mayors of Tilburg and Breda, Theo Weterings and Paul Depla, gave the go-ahead for the experiment in the morning at the De Baron coffee shop in Breda. "By regulating the sale of cannabis, we gain better insight into the origin of the products and the quality," said the minister. "In addition, we can better inform consumers about the effects and health risks of cannabis use." Tilburg's mayor spoke of a "historic moment" and a step towards the legalization of cannabis.

Cultivation often in indoor facilities

Cannabis is obtained from the hemp plant. It grows in almost all climate zones and does not have high requirements. In addition to growing plants at home, they are often cultivated in indoor facilities in Europe because they produce a higher yield and higher levels of the intoxicating active ingredient tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).

In the so-called coffeeshops in the Netherlands, the sale and consumption of small quantities of hashish or marijuana is tolerated, but cultivation and wholesale are prohibited. The coffee shops are therefore dependent on illegal and often criminal wholesalers to obtain their supplies.

To put an end to this situation, the government agreed to an experiment with state-controlled marijuana cultivation. Ten municipalities are to take part. It will initially start in two cities. Three marijuana growers will initially supply coffee shops there with goods that they grow under state supervision.

Start of the experiment postponed several times

The cultivation and stocking of the coffee shops are subject to strict controls. During the maximum six-month test phase, coffee shops are allowed to stock up to 500 grams of legally grown cannabis and the same amount from illegal sources. The basic policy of tolerating the sale of cannabis will be maintained during the test. The start of the experiment has been postponed several times. After the experiment, the government in The Hague wants to decide on the full legalization of cannabis.

Germany also wants to relax the way it deals with cannabis. Until now, cultivation in a private or commercial context has been prohibited and is punishable under the Narcotics Act with up to five years in prison or a fine. This is set to change from April 1, 2024 according to the plans of the traffic light government.

The Cannabis Act (CanG) will then allow cultivation in the private sector. While adults aged 18 and over will be allowed to possess 25 grams in public areas, up to 50 grams can be grown privately. Adults will be allowed to grow up to three plants privately. Cannabis clubs for joint cultivation will be possible from July 1, 2024. According to the Federal Ministry of Health, this permission will be limited to "fixed annual home cultivation and distribution quantities". However, the necessary Bundestag resolution for the plans is still pending.

Health risks due to drug use

A survey presented by the Dutch statistics authority CBS in The Hague on Thursday shows that despite the steps towards the legalization of cannabis, there are health risks. According to the survey, 40 percent of cannabis users stated that they did not sleep well. Of adult drug users in general, 35 percent reported sleep problems, while among people without drug use the proportion was 23 percent. The Dutch National Institute for Public Health (RIVM) and the Trimbos Institute for Mental Health were involved in the survey.

In addition to sleep problems, the survey found that drug users also have more mental health problems than non-users. For example, 25 percent of drug users complained of mental health problems compared to 13 percent of non-users. 29 percent had anxiety compared to 16 percent among non-users and 22 percent said they suffered from depression. Among people who did not use drugs, this figure was only 9 percent. Conversely, adults with mental health complaints were also more likely to report using drugs than those who did not suffer from these complaints, the CBS reported.