Cannabis in the Netherlands

Cannabis in the Netherlands is illegal, but is decriminalised for personal use. Recreational consumption of the drug is tolerated, and it is available in coffee shops.

Cannabis coffee shop in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Prohibition

Cannabis was first criminalised in the Netherlands in 1913, following earlier laws against its import and export in 1928.[1] Cannabis was banned much earlier in the Dutch colony of Suriname, in the early part of the 20th century,[2] and in Dutch Indonesia in 1927.[3]

Loosening

In 1972, the Dutch government divided drugs into more- and less-dangerous categories, with cannabis being in the lesser category. Accordingly, possession of 30 grams or less was made a misdemeanor.[4]

Coffeeshops
Main article: Coffeeshop (Netherlands)

Cannabis has been available for recreational use in coffee shops since 1976.[5] Cannabis products are only sold openly in certain local "coffeeshops" and possession of up to 5 grams for personal use is decriminalised, however, the police may still confiscate it, which often happens in car checks near the border. Other types of sales and transportation are not permitted, although the general approach toward cannabis was lenient even before official decriminalisation.[6][7][8]

Though retail sales are tolerated, production, transportation, and bulk possession of marijuana outside of retail stores is illegal, preventing testing for contaminants and dosing. After legalization and regulation of the entire supply chain in other countries, some cities in the Netherlands are participating in a pilot project using officially approved growers and testers, and labeling of the amount of THC.[9]

Medical marijuana

Since 2003, there has been a legal prescription drug known as "Mediwiet", available at Dutch pharmacies. There are five different types of medical cannabis in the Netherlands; the fifth contains Cannabidiol and almost no Tetrahydrocannabinol.[10]

References
  1. Dirk J. Korf (1995). Dutch Treat: Formal Control and Illicit Drug Use in the Netherlands. Thesis Publishers. p. 272. ISBN 978-90-5170-369-6.
  2. Rosemarijn Hoefte (1998). In Place of Slavery: A Social History of British Indian and Javanese Laborers in Suriname. University Press of Florida. pp. 160–. ISBN 978-0-8130-1625-2.
  3. Thomas H. Slone (2003). Prokem. Masalai Press. pp. 26–. ISBN 978-0-9714127-5-0.
  4. Martin Booth (1 June 2005). Cannabis: A History. Picador. pp. 338–. ISBN 978-0-312-42494-7.
  5. Michael Tonry (22 September 2015). Crime and Justice, Volume 44: A Review of Research. University of Chicago Press. pp. 261–. ISBN 978-0-226-34102-6.
  6. Use drop-down menu on site to view Netherlands entry.), Eldd.emcdda.europa.eu, retrieved 2011-02-17
  7. Drugs Policy in the Netherlands, Ukcia.org, archived from the original on 2017-08-02, retrieved 2011-02-17
  8. "Amsterdam Will Ban Tourists from Pot Coffee Shops". Atlantic Wire. 27 May 2011. Retrieved 2011-06-23.
  9. Dutch Cities Try a "Weed Test" to Fix a Quirk of Legal Cannabis
  10. "Office for Medicinal Cannabis of the Netherlands".
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