Utrecht is starting it's own cannabis social club

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Front page of a national Dutch newspaper: NRCnext.

As growing cannabis for commercial reasons is fully illegal in the Netherlands, coffeeshops are therefore dependent on illegal lines for supplies of their cannabis. This situation means they are not able to fully check and guarantee the quality of the products they sell.

For that reason the city council of Utrecht is starting it's own cannabis social club: Social Cannabis Club Domstad.

Based on the concept that is already used in other countries like Spain and Belgium, a few members shall grow cannabis for the rest of the club members. In this particular case the city council will maintain oversight as far as public health and safety regulations for the club and the grow locations, as well as the strength and quality of the cannabis produced for club members.

The city has applied to the Ministry of Health for a special status within the Opiumlaw(the Dutch drug law), enabling them to operate in compliance with the current laws.

This is a unique situation in Europe because, if it would work out, this would be the first social club to be completely legal(instead of just tolerated) due to the full involvement of the city council. Our minister of justice, Ivo Opstelten on the other hand, is very much against cannabis legalisation because according to him the regulation and legalisation is not allowed under international law and Dutch law.

As soon as he heard of the plan for the club he announced he would not accept the it...