Although selling cannabis has been tolerated in the Netherlands for decades, growing cannabis is still illegal. Soon, this might change because the government is experimenting with legal weed production.

In 2019, the Dutch government launched a cannabis experiment in which entrepreneurs can start growing cannabis legally. In the end coffeeshops participating in the experiment will only be allowed to sell Dutch cannabis checked by the government.

Currently, cannabis procurement is done through ‘the back door’. What is sold legally is purchased illegally. The end of 2019 marked the start of a four-year experiment in which state-controlled cultivated weed is traded legally. This should lead to less crime, and better quality cannabis with fewer harmful substances.

After a rigorous selection process, ten growers will be selected to supply this government cannabis. Bromet follows the seasoned grower John – who wanted to run his nursery as legally and transparently as possible, but still lost everything after a court case – and the businessmen from plan C who want to start growing weed for the first time. In addition, Bromet interviews coffee shop owners, politicians involved and both supporters and opponents.

Documentary maker Frans Bromet hopes the experiment will succeed. Still, he is skeptical. What happens to coffee shops and cannabis growers that do not take part in the trial? A strict selection will take place among the aspiring growers. Who will soon be allowed to be a cannabis grower and how will the cannabis production work out?

While the entrepreneurs designated by a draw as the first suppliers of legal Dutch weed are making big investments, the real rollout of the government experiment is lagging. Does the experiment risk failure from the start or is it a matter of patience?

for this documentary series Featurez has done the research, setup, planning of the filming, driving, accompaniment and sound.

The two episodes of the documentary Legale Wiet (Legal Weed) are published on the Featurez.com video page.