Dutch parliament for legal cultivation of marijuana
The diversion implies a major breakthrough in the Dutch policy for soft drugs. The sale of marijuana in the coffee shops has been allowed for years, but regarding the cultivation and purchase of marijuana such a tolerant policy was totally out of the question.
In 2000 a majority of the parliament took on a proposal to legalize the production of soft drugs, but the then ruling party of minister Kok didn’t accept this motion because during the voting some members of the parliament were against it. At present the coffee shops are getting their supplies from criminals and home growers.
The Dutch left wing parties have mentioned Amsterdam and Maastricht as the possible cities in which to start the experiment. It’s unclear how it will be conducted. All these parties have placed their ideas on the table. The minister Donner of Justice and the interior minister Remkes are against this motion as they expect it to rise international opposition.
The city mayor of Maastricht, Leers, who turned out to be a big promoter of the legal cultivation of marijuana, spoke yesterday of ‘very joyful news’.
Source: De Volkskrant
