The Netherlands to start experimenting with legal cannabis in October 2023

While the’The entire trial is facing one delay after another Although it is not expected to be launched before 2024, Dutch Health Minister Ernst Kuipers announced on Wednesday, February 22, that a pilot phase would be launched during the last quarter of 2023 in the cities of Tilburg and Breda.

It is expected to start with three growers who will be able to supply products to the coffeeshops in those cities.

In all, ten cities have joined the initiative. Others Municipalities should join them, and Amsterdam announced last Tuesday its intention to join the pilot program for the legal production of cannabis for coffee shops in one of its seven districts.

Three producers will therefore participate in the initial phase and supply all licensed coffeeshops in the cities of Tilburg and Breda. Each establishment will be allowed to stock a maximum of 500 grams of «legal» cannabis, but will be able to continue sourcing supplies from its former illegal suppliers.

The « wietexperiment »has been approved" first introduced by the Dutch Senate in 2019 after several years, and has since been blocked for various reasons.

The goal of the trial period is to «get familiar with all the processes and systems,» said Health Minister Ernst Kuipers. The minister told lawmakers that the initial phase would last six months and that he hoped other cities would then join the project.

L’The goal of the experiment is to eliminate the gray area in which cannabis is produced for coffeeshops—a practice that remains illegal—while reducing nuisances and crime.

Banking Difficulties

Ten producers had been selected Originally, they were all supposed to take the test, but one of them has since lost his license, and only one of the remaining ones is ready to start.

In particular, farmers have a hard time opening a bank account because banks are concerned about potential money laundering.

Justice Minister Dilan Yesilgöz told lawmakers that it is up to the banks themselves to decide for whom they open accounts, but that they should be more transparent about the conditions they require for approval.

The mayors of Tilburg and Breda both welcomed the news of the launch of the pilot program.

«We can finally take the first steps toward legalizing soft drugs,» said Tilburg Mayor Theo Weterings.