Start of the Dutch Pilot Project scheduled for 2021

A The Netherlands is leading a reform in the legislation, as reported in April 2018. Agreement was reached for the four-year pilot project. Under current legislation, cannabis can be sold over-the-counter in licensed cafes, but it is illegal to produce and supply it to commercial establishments.

From 2021, coffeeshops in 10 municipalities will be legally stocked with high-quality cannabis from licensed producers in an attempt to reduce black market activity.

Big cities out of the experience

The authorities decided that it would be dangerous and costly to carry out the experiment in the four largest cities, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, The Hague and Utrecht, which were therefore excluded from the pilot project. The cities chosen are then Arnhem, Almere, Breda, Groningen, Heerlen, Hellevoetsluis, Maastricht, Nijmegen, Tilburg and Zaanstad.

The Dutch legal framework, more liberal when it comes to drugs, has long divided public opinion. Cannabis cultivation remains a sensitive issue as cultivation at home for personal consumption is prohibited in a country associated with public and recreational cannabis use.

Regulate, not to become extinct

Amsterdam is a major tourist destination for cannabis enthusiasts, but the country turns a blind eye to coffeeshop supplies. It is still illicit producers that supply the market, while the authorities ignore these transactions. However, with concerns about black market fluctuations and the closure of hundreds of cafes over the last decade, the government was forced to study a model for a fully regulated market so as not to lose the tens of millions of euros generated annually. by cannabis tourism.

Cities were initially reluctant to be involved in the government's pilot project, with concerns that any legitimate supplier would be more expensive and drive customers away. The experiment will take place in 79 “coffeeshops”, which will report the success of being provided by legal producers between 2021 and 2025. If the trial results in a positive change, the Dutch government will try to roll it out across the country and implement a fully legal law. 

In announcing the decision, Justice Minister Ferdinand Grapperhaus and Health Minister Bruno Bruins said consumer protection was the top priority. The pair believe the plan could put an end to the "illogical and inconsistent" policy that puts "coffeeshops" in contact with illegal suppliers.

Licensed producers have expensive export contracts and there is currently no indication of prices they will offer coffees, which have already warned that if the purchase cost is not maintained, consumers will simply and directly go to the black market.