Nederwiet

Nederwiet is a common Dutch name for a "skunk" variation of marijuana bred in the Netherlands[1] for its high potency with THC levels approaching 30%[2] in some varieties.[3][4][5] The name is derived from the Dutch words for The Netherlands, Nederland, and for weed, wiet.[4]

History

In the early 1980s, Nederwiet was a poor man's weed with a very low THC concentration (8%). In the 1990s, students of the Dutch University of Agriculture in Wageningen did research and increased the concentration of THC to around 25 percent. This result was afterwards adopted by the market with a current average tendency of around 20%.[6][7]

In the early 21st century, Nederwiet became internationally known for its potency. According to the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction, cannabis from the Netherlands was almost twice as strong as in the rest of the European Union, where the drug's potency had remained stable.[8]

By 2008, according to figures of the Dutch law enforcements authorities, Dutch cannabis growers earned around 2 billion euros yearly from exporting at least 80 percent of their illegal harvests. The growing began at small scale in the 1970s, after "idealistic young people with green thumbs" set the trend by starting to grow cannabis on houseboats. The active ingredient THC in the cultivated plants raised from an average of 4 to 9% to around 18% and sometimes even 30%. In the production of cannabis the criminal and non-criminal worlds became intertwined.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Richard Cowan (2004). "Top Story: Dutch Lessons: Tolerance Works. Prohibition Is Counterproductive. Who Is The Real Threat To Our Freedom and Security?". The Marijuana News. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
  2. ↑ "THC-content in Dutch Cannabis. (aka the "Killer Dutch Bud" Frenzy...)". Help End Marijuana Prohibition. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
  3. ↑ Gladys Pollack. "Holland's Drug Policies: The Lesson for Canada". Reader's Digest Canada. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
  4. 1 2 "Dutch Cannabis more expensive, lower THC, but high quality". DutchAmsterdam.nl. Retrieved 2008-02-10.
  5. ↑ FTA Pijlman, SM Rigter, J Hoek, HMJ Goldschmidt, RJM Niesink (2005). "Strong increase in total delta-THC in cannabis preparations sold in Dutch coffee shops". Addiction Biology 10 (2): 171–180. doi:10.1080/13556210500123217. PMID 16191670.
  6. ↑ http://www.ukcia.org/research/THC-concentratiesInWiet2005-6.pdf
  7. ↑ Dutch link mentioning the influence of Landbouwuniversiteit Wageningen / mirror at the Internet Archive
  8. ↑ "World Briefing | Health: Pot Potency Rises In The Netherlands"

See also


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