Regulated cannabis trial: Participating coffeeshops can now only sell regulated hashish
The Netherlands has taken the next step in its regulated cannabis experiment. From today, the 75 coffeeshops in the 10 participating municipalities are only allowed to sell hashish from legal, domestically grown sources. Coffeeshop owners are relatively satisfied with the supply, but still advocate for regulated imports of Moroccan hashish - a firm favorite in the Netherlands, NRC reports.
The regulated cannabis experiment officially started in April. Since then, the 75 coffeeshops in Nijmegen, Arnhem, Groningen, Zaanstad, Almere, Voorne aan Zee, Heerlen, Maastricht, Breda, and Tilburg have only been allowed to sell cannabis grown by one of the cultivators appointed by the government. The four-year-long experiment is a step towards the legalization of soft drugs and the end of the current tolerance policy.
Until now, the participating coffeeshops were still allowed to sell hashish bought through the “back door” - from criminal sources while the government turns a blind eye - because the regulated growers were still getting their supplies up to standard. Five growers are now producing enough hashish to supply the participating coffeeshops.
Coffeeshop owners are also satisfied with the expansion of the Dutch hashish supply. “Regular customers - with a few exceptions - have switched fairly easily,” Maikel van Nieuwkasteele, owner of coffeeshop the Smokery in Wormerveer, told NRC. In April, the Smokery sold three legal hash varieties. Now it sells 15. From Monday, it will no longer have five tolerated varieties on the menu.
But the Dutch coffeeshops are concerned about the disappearance of Moroccan hashish from their menus. Moroccan hashish is known for its mild taste and high CBD content, which makes smokers feel relaxed. It is very popular in the Netherlands.
Hashish farmers in Morocco cultivate the plants in the mountains of the Rif region, where the nights are cold and the days are scorching hot. Dutch growers can’t replicate those conditions. The Dutch conditions mean that the THC content is higher than in Moroccan hash. That makes smokers get high faster, but that can be fixed with dosage, coffeeshop owners told the newspaper.
They are concerned that the Dutch hash tases too sharp compared to the popular Moroccan hash, leading to long-time users turning to illegal dealers if they can no longer find their favorites in the local coffeeshop. They advocate for organizing regulated imports from Morocco.
But that is more easily said than done. Hashish cultivation for recreational use is prohibited in Morocco, and export is not permitted under international treaties. The Ministries involved in the cannabis experiment told NRC that they are not exploring the possibility of importing.
