A letter has been sent to the Dutch Parliament which outlines the current state of the Coffeeshop Experiment. According to Vincent Karremans (State Secretary for Youth, Prevention and Sports) and David van Weel (Minister of Justice and Security), a longer transition phase is needed.
On June 17, the transition phase of the experiment began. Since then, designated growers have been allowed to sell their products to coffee shops in the ten participating municipalities and coffee shops have been allowed to sell these regulated products, in addition to the tolerated products, to consumers. Currently, three growers supply participating coffee shops. To date, 63 coffee shops have sold regulated hemp and hashish to a greater or lesser extent, out of a total of 75 participating coffee shops.
The experimental phase was expected to start on September 16 this year, provided that at that time there is sufficient quality, quantity and diversity of cannabis and hashish available to supply all coffee shops. It was indicated that if these conditions could not be met by the anticipated start date, the transition phase would be extended.
Conditions not yet met
Since the start of the transition phase June 17 this year, compliance with these conditions has been monitored through the distribution of questionnaires to coffeeshop owners, conducting quarterly interviews with growers, collecting input from municipalities and monitoring current production figures. The monitoring took place from that period because from that moment on coffee shop owners could purchase the regulated products and thus the most up-to-date picture of the state of conditions could be painted. According to the letter, this monitoring shows that currently the conditions are not yet being met.
"Track & trace data shows that cannabis and hashish production at the first three growers now in production lags behind the production projections expected by the growers last March. There is sufficient quantity if the growers can supply a total of at least 570 kg of cannabis and 160 kg of hashish per week. In addition, there must be a minimum supply of 6,800 kilograms of weed and 2,000 kilograms of hash. At the moment, the condition of sufficient quantity is not met, and based on the forecasts, it appears that it will not be achieved by September 16 either. Growers 4 and 5 have experienced some delays in their preparations. It is not realistic that this delay will be made up before September 16, as the process of growing, drying and packaging cannabis takes several months. Given this, we must conclude that the quantity is not yet at the level it should have been, especially when it comes to the quantity of hashish. As it looks now, by mid-September there will not be enough hashish produced to be able to best supply all the coffee shops in the ten participating municipalities. During quarterly discussions with growers, the importance of sufficient production for hash is stressed," the letter says.
The limited supply of three growers also affects the diversity of cannabis and hashish. "In response to the questionnaire, the majority of coffee shop owners indicated that they are currently unable to provide their customers with a diverse supply of cannabis products. To speak of a sufficiently diverse supply, coffee shop owners indicated that certainly more than three growers must be ready to supply. Mayors of the participating municipalities also expressed concerns about insufficient (diverse) supply."
Furthermore, in the questionnaires, most coffeeshop owners indicated being neutral to satisfied with the perceived quality of cannabis products. However, this does not yet apply to hash: the majority of coffeeshop owners indicated that the quality of hash is currently insufficient.
Extended transitional phase
"These findings lead us to foresee that the quantity, quality and diversity of regulated products will not be sufficient even on September 16," the letter continues. "It is therefore not possible to start the experimental phase. If the experimental phase is started and the conditions are not met, the risk of illegal (street) trade will increase. After all, in this phase only regulated products may be sold. Care is therefore needed and more time is needed to get the supply of growers up to standard in order to get the experiment off to a good start. This is why the transitional phase is being extended."
When the fourth and fifth growers are ready, production will be monitored again. "We aim to communicate the outcome of this monitoring to stakeholders in mid-November. The experimental phase will start no sooner than six weeks after the announcement of the start date of the experimental phase, so that growers, coffee shop owners, municipalities and supervisors have sufficient time to prepare for it."
Finally, the nine-month commissioning requirement is attached to the designation of five growers this week. "These are 5 of the total designated 10 growers who have not yet started cultivation. This means that these growers must have commenced cultivation within nine months from that time, or their designation may be revoked. This implements the Mutluer motion, monitoring the progress of the growers who have not started producing at this time."
Click here to read the letter (in Dutch)