Dutch Court Orders Cannabis Producer to Reduce Odor or Face Closure
A Dutch court has ordered CanAdelaar to reduce cannabis odors from its greenhouses or face closure, following complaints from residents
Key Points
- 1CanAdelaar must reduce cannabis odor or face closure
- 2Court's decision follows over 2,000 resident complaints
- 3Potential fines for CanAdelaar could reach €3.5 million
- 4Cannabis expert warns of impact on legal weed experiment
- 5Health and justice ministries claim sufficient supply capacity
In a significant legal development, CanAdelaar, the Netherlands' largest licensed cannabis producer, has been mandated by the court to mitigate the marijuana odor emanating from its greenhouses within a week or risk being shut down. The court's decision comes after receiving over 2,000 complaints from approximately 300 residents about the pervasive smell affecting the surrounding community
CanAdelaar operates from a vast facility in Hellevoetsluis, converted from former tomato greenhouses, and has been cultivating cannabis under a government-sanctioned experiment for two years. The odor issue primarily arises when greenhouse windows are opened for ventilation, allowing the strong scent of cannabis to drift into nearby neighborhoods
In response to the court order, CanAdelaar is in the process of installing air filters to address the odor concerns. However, the company has expressed that the potential fines, which could reach up to €3.5 million, are tantamount to a 'disguised closure.' Despite these measures, the court has described the situation as 'very serious' and insists on compliance with the regulations
Cannabis expert Nicole Maalsté has voiced concerns that this legal challenge could jeopardize the success of the Dutch government's legal weed experiment. She highlighted the importance of CanAdelaar, noting that if it were to cease operations, it could force coffeeshops to resort to the illegal market, potentially undermining the trial. Meanwhile, officials from the health and justice ministries assure that there remains sufficient capacity to supply the participating coffeeshops, with additional growers on standby if necessary