“Exciting Progress: Dutch Cannabis Growers Embrace State Experiment”
BEMMEL, Netherlands (AP) — The Netherlands launched an expanded government initiative on Monday allowing legal cannabis sales. While cannabis cultivation remains illegal, cannabis shops — known as coffeeshops — in 10 municipalities will now be permitted to sell marijuana from 10 licensed producers.
“Weed has been sold here legally for 50 years, but the production was never legal. So it’s finally time to end that absurd, unexplainable situation and establish a legal professional sector,” said Rick Bakker, commercial director at Hollandse Hoogtes, one of the regulated producers, in an interview with The Associated Press.
Approximately 80 coffeeshops are participating in the experiment, with advocates hoping it will ultimately resolve a long-standing legal anomaly in the country. In the Netherlands, individuals can buy and sell small amounts of weed without fear of prosecution, but commercial cultivation remains illegal.
Bakker’s company in Bemmel, near the German border, appears similar to the surrounding greenhouses producing tomatoes and peppers, but it produces 200 kilograms (440 pounds) of weed per week and is among the largest producers in the experiment.
Once a pioneer in decriminalizing marijuana since the 1970s, the Netherlands has taken a more conservative approach in recent years. Amsterdam, well-known as a destination for marijuana enthusiasts, has been closing coffeeshops and has prohibited weed smoking in certain parts of its historic center.
Advocates have long pushed for legal cultivation, emphasizing product safety and crime concerns. Benjamin Selma, head grower at Hollandse Hoogtes who previously worked in cannabis production in California for over a decade, highlighted the rigorous quality control measures in place for the cannabis. He said, “We conduct a comprehensive test encompassing microbial, cannabinoid, terpene, yeast, anaerobic bacteria, heavy metals, and more. It’s highly controlled.”
The company avoids pesticide use, closely monitors growing conditions, and prioritizes environmental sustainability. The production facility is powered by solar energy and uses biodegradable packaging.
Breda Mayor Paul Depla praised the initiative as an opportunity to observe the collaboration between legal growers, coffeeshop owners, and other authorities. When the first phase was introduced in 2023, Depla told the AP, “It is also a great opportunity to see how cooperation within the closed chain between legal growers, coffeeshop owners, and all other authorities involved works.”
According to Derrick Bergman, chairman of the Union for the Abolition of Cannabis Prohibition, the experiment represents a political compromise. The plan was conceived in 2017 when Christian political parties and pro-legalization parties agreed to a trial run following the failure of a bill to decriminalize production.
The government plans to assess the experiment after four years. “A research team, guided by an independent advisory and evaluation
