Grow shops now illegal in the Netherlands
As of 1 March, the Opium Law, which governs the use of cannabis, has made grow shops illegal throughout the country. The idea behind it was to stop grow shops that have a hand in the illegal growing of cannabis, such as supplying lamps, plant food and other supplies. The price for breaking the law is a maximum prison penalty of three years and a fine of 81,000 euro.
In October 2014 the court of Groningen handed down a historical verdict by refusing to punish two cannabis growers who ‘safely and responsibly’ carried out their work. The court refused to punish the growers stating the hypocrisy of punishing ‘the back door’ while turning a blind eye to selling through ‘the front door’.
Now, even though the shops are not technically growing cannabis themselves, the law is trying to shut the ‘back door’, while continuing to allow the selling of cannabis through the ajar and very lucrative ‘front door’.
(Link: www.at5)
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