Eindhoven says no to regulated marijuana experiment

Eindhoven has followed The Hague and Amsterdam and decided not to take part in the government’s experiment with regulated marijuana cultivation, saying it cannot accept the terms and conditions for the experiment.

‘I realise that this goes against the offer I made the cabinet in 2017 to help give shape to the experiment, but now the details are known, I have no choice but not to sign up,’ mayor John Jorritsma said in a statement.

Jorritsma said the issue had been discussed with aldermen and local coffee shop owners, who are also unhappy at the position the trial puts them in. He also said he expects the net impact of the trial in terms of crime, public nuisance and health to be minimal.

The experiment with regulated growing is supposed to remove the gray area between the sale of marijuana in council-licenced coffee shops and the illegal cultivation and supply.

However, there are so many problems with the proposals that the Dutch local authorities association VNG said at the end of last year it will now be difficult to find 10 councils which want to take part

One issue is with the four year trial period, which will not be extended, even if the experiment is successful. This means that coffee shop owners will be forced back into the illegal circuit after four years of selling ‘legal’ marijuana.

Another objection is the requirement that all coffee shops within a council area take part in the scheme.

Councils have until June 11 to sign up to take part.