This unexpected obstacle was reported on Monday, 5 August, by Justice Minister David van Weel in a letter sent to the Dutch Parliament to report on the progress of the experiment that aims to study the viability of legalizing the recreational drug in the Low Country.
You may recall that despite widespread popular perceptions, cannabis is actually not legal in the Netherlands. Its consumption has only been tolerated within the walls of specially dedicated coffeeshops with police officers turning a blind eye until a better solution is found.
After decades of waiting a solution seems to be finally worked on following the launch of a pilot project involving the sale of both regulated and tolerated cannabis in the coffeeshops of ten Dutch municipalities. The pilot launched in mid-June and was expected to last three months before analyzing results.
Quantity, quality and diversity of cannabis products
Apart from the ten municipalities, the government also authorized ten Dutch growers to participate in the project phase and beyond. The licenced growers have three requirements to meet in order to ensure proper weekly supply to the coffeeshops: quantity, quality and diversity.
As it turns out, the three growers that began supplying the coffeeshops have been unable to meet all three requirements. Coffeeshop owners in particular have been displeased with the quality and quantity of hash.
Five of the licensed growers are only scheduled to begin deliveries in the first half of 2025. The intention is that the growers supply at least 570 kilograms of weed and 160 kilograms of hash per week.
Given that the growers have been unable to meet the required standards, this may mean extending the pilot phase and therefore delaying the next phase of the cannabis legalization plan in the Netherlands.
https://www.themayor.eu/en/a/view/dutch-cannabis-growers-have-trouble-meeting-regulation-standards-12689
