Department of Criminology, Criminal Law and Social Law

Cannabis cultivation in Flanders

Research Period

1 April 2005 – 30 September 2006

Financing

Institute for Social Drug Research (ISD) en 'Hogeschool' of the City of Ghent, Department of Social Work

Researcher

Tom DECORTE (ISD)
Pascal TUTELEERS (Hogent)

Key Words

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Abstract

By means of the Circular Letter from the Belgian Home Office, dating from the 16th of May 2003, the possession of three grams of cannabis and the possession of one (female) plant of cannabis is considered by the legislator as 'possession for personal use'. Nevertheless, one (female) plant of cannabis yields more than 3 grams. The above mentioned circular letter and the parliamentary debate concerning the 'new drug law', preceding this letter, together with several studies on drug use among students, caused a lot of media and public attention towards the consumption of cannabis. It became clear that the consumption of cannabis was a more general phenomenon and an important part of the population, especially youngsters, showed a tolerant attitude towards the consumption of cannabis.

Research Context

A lot of international research deals with the production, the distribution and the market of illegal drugs. In the Netherlands, there is also a long tradition of research into the market of Dutch 'coffeeshops' and their role in the distribution of cannabis. Scientific research towards the small scale or domestic cultivation of cannabis is rather exceptional. Knowledge about the nature and the role of home cultivation of cannabis in Flanders is very limited. The most important source of information are the media and the information given by the media is rather limited and does not contain much detailed information on the 'cultivators' themselves. The available information suggests an increase in the number of plantations of cannabis in Belgium and in Flanders the past five years. Scientific research into this evolution, suggested by the media, is necessary in order to confirm, to deny, to enfeeble or to shade these so called evolutions. Furthermore, this research can provide further insight in a number of features of the local market of cannabis. It is sometimes suggested that while repressive efforts to diminish the supply of cannabis (for example in the Netherlands) can cause an increase in the home cultivation of cannabis in Flanders in the long run. We can also study the possible connection between the initiation and the continuation of home cultivation of cannabis and one's own personal consumption of cannabis. This may provide interesting insights from the point of view of healthcare and of prevention of (problematic) consumption of cannabis. More insight in the 'market of cannabis' is also necessary in order to develop more appropriate repressive strategies. Some repressive strategies could replace the small scale, non-violent market of cultivation of cannabis on the long term by more vertical organised, professional (and possible criminal) cultivators of cannabis.

Objectives of the Research

This research aims at gaining insight in the 'market' (or supply) of cannabis, moreover in the nature and scope of domestic cultivation of cannabis, and in the profile and motivation of domestic cultivators of cannabis in Flanders. The objectives are threesome:

  • To describe the application of the actual Belgian drug laws concerning the home cultivation of cannabis
  • To analyse the available quantitative data from the police and the justice department concerning the home cultivation of cannabis during the period 1990 - 2005 and to analyse newspaper publications concerning the cultivation of cannabis in Flanders during the period 1990 – 2005
  • To explore the nature and the role of the cultivation of cannabis in the general process of distribution of cannabis in Flanders.

Methodology

  1. an analysis of the recent Belgian drug laws (including Royal Decrees, Circular Letters and jurisprudence) and using open interviews with key-informants.
  2. an analysis of all relevant quantitative data from the police, the justice department and the penal system, concerning the home cultivation of cannabis in Flanders during the period 1990-2005.
  3. an analysis of the media coverage of the phenomenon of the cultivation of cannabis during the period 1990-2005.
  4. Interviewing minimum 50 cultivators of cannabis using an extended questionnaire with open and closed questions, eventually followed by in-depth-interviews. The aim is not to produce representativity but to recruit and interview a large number of experienced cultivators of cannabis (former and active cultivators) according to our objectives.

Valorisation: publications and lectures

  • DECORTE, T., POTTER, G., & BOUCHARD, M. (2011). World wide weed. Global trends in cannabis cultivation and its control. Ashgate Publishers.
  • BOUCHARD, M., POTTER, G., & DECORTE, T. (2011). Emerging trends in cannabis cultivation - and the way forward. In DECORTE, T., POTTER, G. & BOUCHARD, M. (Eds.), World wide weed. Global trends in cannabis cultivation and its control. London: Ashgate Publishers.
  • DECORTE, T. (2011). "Stories", "facts" and "myths" - perceptions of domestic cultivators on potency and quality of cannabis. In DECORTE, T., POTTER, G. & BOUCHARD, M. (Eds.), World wide weed. Global trends in cannabis cultivation and its control. London: Ashgate Publishers.
  • POTTER, G., BOUCHARD, M., & DECORTE, T. (2011). The globalization of cannabis cultivation. In DECORTE, T., POTTER, G. & BOUCHARD, M. (Eds.), World wide weed. Global trends in cannabis cultivation and its control. London: Ashgate Publishers.
  • DECORTE, T. (2010). Local cannabis production: A matter of organized crime or innocent gardening? Paper presented at the 10th International Conference of the European Society of Criminology, Liège, Belgium, 9-10 September 2010.
  • DECORTE, T. (2010). Small scale domestic cannabis cultivation: An anonymous web survey among 659 cultivators in Belgium. Contemporary Drug Problems, 37(2), 341-370.
  • DECORTE, T. (2010). The case of small-scale cannabis cultivation. International Journal of Drug Policy, 21(4), 271-275.
  • DECORTE, T. (2010). World wide weed. The globalisation and localisation of cannabis cultivation. Paper presented at the Second meeting of the Global Cannabis Cultivation Research Consortium, Copenhagen, Denmark, 14-15 January 2010. (invited speaker + organizer)
  • TUTELEERS, P., & DECORTE, T. (2009). Internetonderzoek naar cannabisteelt. In T. DECORTE & D. ZAITCH (Eds.), Handboek kwalitatieve methoden en technieken in de criminologie (pp. 410-411). Leuven/Den Haag: Acco.
  • DECORTE, T. (2008), Inheemse cannabisteelt in België: omtrent de (on)bedoelde effecten van beleid op de cannabismarkt (pp.47-65). In DECORTE, T. (red.) Cannabisteelt in de Lage Landen. Perspectieven op de cannabismarkt in België en Nederland. ISD- Reeks nr. 5. Leuven: Acco.
  • VANWALLEGHEM, P. en DECORTE, T. (2008). De export van marokkaanse hasj naar België (en Europa) (pp.129-147). In DECORTE, T. (red.), Cannabisteelt in de Lage Landen. Perspectieven op de cannabismarkt in België en Nederland. ISD-Reeks nr. 5. Leuven: Acco.
  • DECORTE, T. (2008), Cannabisteelt in de Lage Landen: een inleiding (pp.1-9). In DECORTE, T. (red.), Cannabisteelt in de Lage Landen. Perspectieven op de cannabismarkt in België en Nederland. ISD-Reeks nr. 5. Leuven: Acco.
  • DECORTE, T. (red.) (2008). Cannabisteelt in de Lage Landen. Perspectieven op de cannabismarkt in België en Nederland. ISD- Reeks nr. 5. Leuven: Acco.
  • DECORTE, T. (2007). Characteristics of the cannabis market in Belgium. In FOUNTAIN, J & KORF, D.J. (eds), Drugs in society: a European perspective. Oxford: Radcliffe Publishing.
  • DECORTE, T. (2007), Typologie van cannabistelers: over de rol van kleinschalige telers op de cannabismarkt. Presentation at the Conferentie 'De wereld achter de wietteelt', Centre for Information and Research on Organised Crime (CIROC), Amsterdam (Nederland), 12 december 2007.
  • DECORTE, T. (2007), Cannabisteelt in Vlaanderen. Patronen en motieven van kwekers. Paper presented at the Tweelandenconferentie 'Cannabisteelt in de Lage Landen', Gent (België), 3-4 december 2007.
  • DECORTE, T. (2007), Typology of domestic cannabis cultivation. Presentation at the 18th Annual ESSD Conference, Krakow (Polen), 11-13 oktober 2007.
  • DECORTE, T. (2007). Cannabis cultivation and cannabis market characteristics in Belgium: implications for an effective cannabis policy. Paper presented at the Crimprev Workshop 'The evolution of illicit substance use', Lille (Frankrijk), 6-7 juli 2007.
  • KORF, D.J., KLEEMANS, E., DECORTE, T. & BOEKHOUT VAN SOLINGE, T. (2006). Drugs en drugshandel in Nederland en België. Tijdschrift voor Criminologie, 48(2), 115-130.
  • DECORTE, T. & BOEKHOUT VAN SOLINGE, T. (2006). Het aanbod van cannabis in Nederland en België. Tijdschrift voor Criminologie, 48(2), 144-154.