Dutch MPs vote to allow pot cultivation

‘In a landmark decision, the lower house of the Dutch parliament has voted in favor of tolerating the cultivation of cannabis, a move that would decriminalize the supply aspect of the coffee shop industry.
Cannabis in the Netherlands is not strictly speaking legal as that would put the country in violation of several international treaties, but it is officially tolerated. Up until now, the authorities willfully turned a blind eye to the sale of marijuana in the country’s so-called “coffee shops,” which attract many thousands of tourists each year in Amsterdam and other cities.
Tuesday’s vote was meant to break the paradox, as while buying pot in small amounts is allowed, cultivating and selling the drug to the coffee shops themselves remains illegal. The lower house of the Dutch parliament extended the tolerance by 77 votes in favor, and 72 against.’
Read more: Dutch MPs vote to allow pot cultivation