The Closed Coffeeshop Chain Experiment has started with the main question: Is legal cannabis possible, and what is the effect on crime, safety, and public health? In part 2 of the YouTube series from Spuiten en Slikken, the difference between legal and illegal cannabis is further examined. Is there a difference in quality? And what do both the coffee shops and growers think of it?
Difference in quality
First, an experiment is conducted. Two consumers referred to as cannabis experts, are given two identical bags. Both bags contain the Amnesia strain. However, one comes from a legal grower, and the other from the illegal market. Do the experts notice a difference?
The illegal version has more visible leaves and smells less pleasant. The legal version is more compact, with fewer leaves, and smells better. The two experts also notice a difference in quality while consuming it. They both correctly guess which one comes from the legal grower. "You can definitely tell that this one has had optimal conditions to grow."
Pick up at the front door
Cannabis is only tolerated once it is in the coffeeshop. Delivery is typically done sneakily through the back door. This is not the case for the legal cannabis in the experiment. Coffeeshop owner Max shows how he waits for his delivery at the front door of his shop. As soon as the truck arrives, the box with legal cannabis is handed over openly. Max does note that deliveries from illegal growers still happen more frequently. "We still need them more often in a day."
The legal deliveries must be meticulously recorded by scanning barcodes. Max finds these extra steps inconvenient. "There is also not much variety in the supply, and it's difficult to obtain hash." However, there are clear advantages for the coffeeshop: "We know where our cannabis comes from, it's clean, and it doesn't contain any chemicals or pesticides. That's the biggest benefit for the customer," he says. Max is in favor of regulation but believes there is room for improvement. "It shouldn't be complicated."
Max also mentions that customers respond very positively to the legal products. "We even have new customers. The illegal image has faded a bit, and that has certainly helped."
A look at the grower
Jorrit from Fyta takes the journalist to the room where harvesting takes place. Here, employees are busy trimming the cannabis flowers. The journalist has to get used to the strong smell and asks if the employees get stoned from it. Jorrit explains that's not the case. "You can only get stoned if you light a joint because of the combustion process."
How does this legal cannabis differ in terms of quality? "We monitor the entire cultivation process. Microbiological analyses are also done at the end to ensure we haven't used illegal pesticides and that there's no mold. This isn't checked with illegal growers," Jorrit says. He sees no downside to the experiment. "We're finally allowed to grow legally; I only see advantages."
The experiment was originally supposed to start in 2017. The delay has also affected Fyta. "We were ready very quickly, which meant we had to wait for the rest. We grew while we weren't allowed to deliver anything yet. That cost us a lot of money. Now we're working hard to catch up."