Netherlands to Test New Recreational Cannabis System
In early 2021 the Dutch government will select a maximum of 10 growers to supply recreational cannabis products to coffeeshops in the Netherlands. Applications to the Minister of Justice and Security were open from 1st and 28th of July and have gathered significant interest, opening the door to a new recreational cannabis economy.
There were only a total of 149 aspiring applicants nationwide - a relatively small number - as they needed to meet a strict standard to qualify. This included being able to grow 6,500 kilograms a year as well as having the capital to provide a suitable location with adequate security. Qualifying applicants will rely on a draw to progress, and will have to be further approved by the relevant Mayor of their area of operation, providing many barriers to entry. Nationwide, only 79 coffeeshops have chosen to participate in the program, largely due to the fact that they must agree to completely abandon their illicit supply to take part - a tough decision for any coffeeshop owner who is used to operating with little regulation. One coffeeshop manager in Amsterdam, who asked not to be named, told us “our speciality is moroccan hash imports, if I got involved I would no longer be allowed to sell those products. Our regulars won't be happy and I wouldn't be able to run a profitable shop.”
This project is a trial for legislation in the future - it's called “the closed coffeeshop chain experiment”. The ‘closed chain’ refers to eliminating the criminal elements in the industry, and ‘experiment’ refers to implementing the idea fully if it is successful. However the trial is set to last 4-5 years, with discussions after, meaning wide scale change is still too far away - especially in a country which has been historically progressive in terms of cannabis.
The Netherlands has traditionally been seen as the most liberal country in the world when it came to legislation and attitudes around cannabis. However in the last decade they have been quickly left behind in the recreational sector, leaving their system incredibly outdated, inefficient, and unfit for purpose.
In the 1970s, decriminalising cannabis and allowing its social use was revolutionary, removing the associated dangers of a criminal market for the consumer and significantly reducing risk at the point of sale. While keeping members of public safe and providing them with social spaces for cannabis use, they did not eliminate the criminality of the supply chain - instead they turned a blind eye to the illegal growers, suppliers, and importers, who were often tied to serious organised crime.
Taking cannabis away from the streets and into the safe space of a ‘coffeeshop’ had many advantages, but the Netherlands is starting to recognise that now it's time to work towards a fully legal system, that removes these grey areas in the law and removes the criminal elements in the system. The first step has been taken, opening the door to a much more comprehensive legal recreational cannabis infrastructure.