Tuesday 21 January the weed test, an experiment with regulated cultivation of weed, received a majority in the Lower House. There is room for a maximum of 10 municipalities in the experiment and a control group of many more municipalities. Not in the Westland, where father and son Bakker see their dream go up in smoke.
With the wish of the Westland to participate in the weed experiment, the duo saw their chance to start a coffee shop with legal state weed among the horticulturalists. D66 submitted a motion with GroenLinks, GemeenteBelang Westland and the PvdA. However, a majority - such as the VVD, CDA and ChristenUnie - was against the opening of the first coffee shop in Westland. Mainly due to a shortage of police to enforce, monitor and ensure security.
Where there is smoke ...
The cannabis experiment may have been adopted nationally, but there are still many skeptics who do not see the test getting off the ground easily. There are still many problems with the conditions set. In municipalities that register for the weed trial, every coffee shop must commit to the trial. In municipalities with many coffee shops, this seems unfeasible. In addition, the participating shops are only allowed to sell cannabis and hash from regulated cannabis cultivation and see their regular offerings from other suppliers disappear like snow in the sun. With the risk that their customers will run away and look for their 'smoke' elsewhere. And what if the state growers cannot deliver the quality products that the consumer is used to?
Amsterdamned
While the Dutch drug policy, with Amsterdam as the cannabis capital, was an example years ago for the rest of Europe, we have now fallen far behind in 'no time'. It seems as if we miss the boat again and again, without realizing what this means for the cannabis culture and policies that have made us famous worldwide. Femke Halsema, mayor of Amsterdam, told VICE in a response through her spokesperson that Amsterdam will only participate in the weed trial if the order in council is amended. This means that the compulsory participation of all coffee shops in the experimental municipalities must be adapted to voluntary participation during the transition period. Or that all coffee shops participate but are free to sell their own offer, in addition to the regulated 'state weed'.
Weed test balloon
The question arises whether this weed test balloon has any chance of success at all? That chance seems minimal at the moment. The only government party that is positive about the weed experiment is D66, which makes the balloon as leaky as a basket. In fact, none of the parties is really satisfied with the plan. 'We abhor drug use, including so-called soft drug use,' said CDA MP Madeleine van Toorenburg. "It should never become normal."
Source ao:
https://www.gemeente.nu/veiligheid/handhaving/ruime-steun-experimenten-wietteelt/
https://www.vice.com/nl/article/mbzq83/de-wietproef-komt-er-maar-niemand-weet-hoe-of-wanneer
