Dutch government officials have announced their intention to recriminalize strains of cannabis containing levels of THC, the plant’s primary psychoactive ingredient, above 15 percent. Officials were not specific as to when the proposed ban would take effect or how strictly the new policy would be enforced.
A representative from the Dutch Ministry of Justice said that the new policy will mandate cannabis retailers to self-regulate the potency of the cannabis products they sell, and that state inspectors will be granted the authority to randomly seize marijuana from Dutch coffee-shops for laboratory analysis.
Critics of the plan state that there exists little data associating increased health risks with higher potency cannabis, and emphasize that the compound is relatively non-toxic and incapable of causing death by overdose.
In recent months, Dutch Cabinet members have taken steps to clamp down on the cannabis coffee-shop industry, including proposing a ban on sales to foreign patrons.
For more information, please contact Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director, at (202) 483-5500.
