Politics|The latest in cannabis legalization including laws and policies legislators views election coverage and more. Politics Meet Hollands Best Known (Illegal) Cannabis Farmer Derrick Bergman He started selling hash from a derelict farm in Friesland the Netherlands most northern and stubborn province in 1970. Almost half a century later Doede de Jong is the countrys best known cannabis farmer whose work is still illegal. Doede de Jong 67 is a proud man with strong principles a genuine love of plants and a great sense of humor. He doesnt mind being called an old hippie. To him the core values of the sixtiesfreedom tolerance and the right to self-determinationare worth standing up for more than ever. Back in the seventies De Jongused to sell the hash he bought on regular trips to Amsterdam at cost without any profit margin. One of his friends eventually convinced him to at least add ten cents to the price of every gram to cover his bus and train tickets. He wasnt in it for the money then and that never changed. Abolish this damned and disrespectful ban on cannabis! Doede de Jong When in the early eighties people started growing potent mostly American cannabis strains on Dutch soil De Jong quickly joined in. He has loved plants and gardening since his childhood and growing his own cannabis combines his two biggest passions. As early as 1991 De Jong was featured in the local Frisian newspaper the Leeuwarder Courant talking openly about his growing activities. He berated the paradox that still characterizes the Dutch cannabis policy: coffeeshops can sell cannabis but nobody is allowed to grow it. De Jong became a national celebrity after a 2011 documentary called Nederwiet (Dutch Weed) aired on public TV. It shows the growertending to his plants in a self-built greenhouse manicuring the crop with one of his sons and explaining how he sells part of it to a coffeeshop in the nearby city of Leeuwarden. In the most memorable scene De Jong passionately defends his case in court wearing a T-shirt with the Frisian flag and the text Baas in eigen brein (Boss in your own brain). Doede de Jong in a scene from the 2011 documentary Nederwiet He repeatedly questions the attorney general how it can be possible that cannabis is sold in 13coffeeshops in the city of Leeuwarden. Where does the cannabis come from? He urges the court to break the spell by not sentencing him: For what is the advantage to sentence me? What is the gain? Which interests are served? There arent any. The coffeeshop will have to find another grower; he might go to someone with a machine gun and hand grenades. We do not want this do we? There must be someone who is willing to stand firm and keep his back straight. Someone who says: We cannot work with this hypocritical justice. This law is at odds with reality. Because the reality is that cannabis is sold. And if the rules are at odds with reality we must adapt the rules to reality not the other way round. Notwithstanding De Jongs eloquent plea judges found him guilty. But the tables turned in October 2015 when the Leeuwarden court refused to sentence him to any punishment. In its decision the court stressed the ideological aspect of the case honoring De Jongs lifelong battle for legalization. A happy ending? Not yet. In a separate civil case the Dutch Justice Ministry has issued De Jong a fine of more than 220000 ($247000). The matter is still awaiting appeal. If De Jong really has to pay this amount he will have to sell the farm he and his wife Kicky so lovingly restored after moving there in 1970. They effectively will be ruined. De Jong stays optimistic and devotes his time to writing op-eds working with the Dutch legalization organization VOC and tending to his garden in Appelscha. In his most recent article published in the Leeuwarder Courant he writes: To have an inclusive committed society it is wise to strive for a peace-loving tolerant society in which dialogue based on mutual respect is central and the right to self-determination is respected. I would therefore advise the government to immediately stop this sordid display and let liberalism triumph. Abolish this damned and disrespectful ban on cannabis! coffeeshopsEuropegrowingNetherlandsprohibition Derrick Bergman Recent Articles Will France Be Stuck With Cannabis Prohibition Forever? Its a Close Money Race in Florida Summer in Review: Cannabis News From Central and Eastern Europe Cannabis Takes Leading Role in Berlin Elections Related Stories Politics Dutch Police Raided Nearly 6000 Cannabis Grows Last Year Still Cant Keep Up Politics Are Tourists Allowed in Dutch Coffeeshops? The Strange Tale of the Weed Pass Politics Dutch Mayor Allows Cannabis Patients to Grow at Home Food Travel amp; Sex 5 Myths About Cannabis and Coffeeshops in the Netherlands The post Meet Hollands Best Known (Illegal) Cannabis Farmer appeared first on Leafly. by Derrick Bergman at Leafly