The Netherlands is internationally known for its flexible laws on marijuana consumption and liberal coffee shop atmosphere, however, unknown to many internationals, the government controls all current legal growth of marijuana.
In particular municipalities, the weed sold comes directly from government designated organisations, but this does not reduce the amount of the substance coming from illegal growers that cut corners and produce a less than high quality yield. A new cabinet within the Dutch government is pushing for a new era of marijuana growth. This would allow the legal growth of marijuana, outside of government controlled facilities, in order to reduce the crime caused by illegal weed cultivation as well as produce a higher quantity of higher quality/healthier weed, increasing the safety of consumers and the industry itself.
The current laws within the Netherlands state that the weed sold in coffee shops is tolerated/acceptable to buy, never-the-less it is illegal to grow or buy week from another source. In the future, between six to ten of the municipalities in the Netherlands will be able to give permits to chosen facilities that will be able to grow and sell the soft drugs in their city or villages.
The discussion about legal weed growth has been going on within the Netherlands for a long time and is supported by a lot of municipalities based in the south of the country that have been riddled by drug crimes for a long time. Increased high quality yields would allow for a relaxed market and demand can safely meet supply. The Association (Vereniging) Nederlandse Gemeenten has been advising a re-regulation of weed cultivation since 2015.
Advocating the weed cultivation test has always been met with numerous objections including parties such as the VVD and the CDA (Dutch government organisations). In the previous years, the VVD changed its focus and voted for members of parties that support smarter regulations for weed farming.
Source: http://nos.nl/l/2196782
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