Smoke rings: more councils volunteer for cannabis growing trial

Many believe legalisation and control of the growing industry would reduce criminality
Dutch News (Netherlands)
Friday, July 6, 2018

Municipalities in the Netherlands have signed up to a mooted four-year trial in legally growing cannabis for the first time. The new coalition agreement said that the policy would be tested in six to 10 areas, and more have now joined up. It is intended to see whether controlled weed growing leads to a decline in criminality around cannabis cultivation, and whether the crop could be monitored to have fewer harmful substances. A commission report in June advised that it would be beneficial to sign up more areas. The Netherlands currently has 573 coffeeshops in 103 districts but although they can sell the substance, it is illegal for them to buy or grow it. (See also: Controlled Cannabis Supply Chain Experiment Act - Explanatory memorandum)