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- New Zealand's Latham promises 'no fear' as he takes charge for India Tests
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- Public hearings start into death of Brit by Russian nerve agent
- Ex-Stasi officer faces verdict over 1974 Berlin border killing
- Role of government, poverty research tipped for economics Nobel
- 'Stolen satire' feeds US election misinformation
- Rookie McCarty captures first PGA Tour title in Black Desert Championship
- Australia all-rounder Green ruled out of India Test series
- Seeing double in Nigeria's 'twins capital of the world'
- UK FM to attend EU foreign affairs talks for first time in 2 years
- Carter, Billups among 13 new Basketball Hall of Fame inductees
- Ravens rip Commanders as Lions lose NFL sacks leader in win
- Hezbollah drone strike kills four, wounds dozens at Israeli base
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- Stewart leads Liberty past Lynx to level WNBA Finals
- England return to winning ways in Nations League, Austria thrash Norway
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- Dozens hurt in Israel as Hezbollah claims drone strike
- England deserve 'world class' coach: Carsley
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- England beat Finland to get back on track
- King and Lewis propel West Indies to T20 triumph over Sri Lanka
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- Race four abandoned after New Zealand breeze into 3-0 lead in America's Cup
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- Israel fights Hezbollah on the ground, pounds Lebanon from the air
- Sabalenka outlasts local hero Zheng to win third Wuhan Open title
High time: Dutch savour legal pot trial
Cannabis smokers in two Dutch cities will be able to light up legally for the first time Friday, as authorities roll out a trial decriminalising the production and supply of weed.
A great misconception abroad is that dope is already legal in the Netherlands -- home to the world-famous coffee shops (which actually sell pot) and seen as a huge draw for cannabis smokers.
But in fact, the drug exists in a legal grey area, which the government hopes to stub out with the four-year trial starting in Breda and Tilburg and expanding to other parts of the country.
The consumption of small quantities of cannabis is technically illegal but police choose not to enforce the law as part of a so-called "tolerance" policy in place since the 1970s.
However, the production of cannabis and supply to coffee shops is both illegal and not tolerated, meaning producers and coffee shop owners have to operate in the shadows.
This has led to gangs getting involved, with a related rise in petty crime and anti-social behaviour that local officials hope to stop with the legal pot experiment.
Production will be limited to a handful of farms, whose cannabis will be closely monitored before supply to coffee shops.
Consumers are guaranteed a high-quality product, whereas before it was impossible to know where the cannabis came from -- or whether it had been altered.
The level of THC and CBD, the active ingredients of cannabis, will also be measured, so users will know how strong their joint is.
The Dutch move comes amid a general trend of decriminalising the use of cannabis.
Neighbouring Germany has approved a law legalising the purchase and possession of cannabis for recreational use. Adults can have up to 25 grammes and grow up to three plants.
The drug is available in some pharmacies in Switzerland, which is also flirting with decriminalising its recreational use.
Adult recreational use of Cannabis is already legal in about 20 American states.
During the Dutch experiment, independent researchers will monitor the trial with a view to eventual decriminalisation.
One unknown hanging over this policy -- and indeed all policies -- is the Geert Wilders factor, after the far-right leader won elections last month.
His PVV Freedom Party wants to scrap the "tolerance" policy for good, close coffee shops, and push for a "drug-free Netherlands."
They were placed bottom of the parties to vote for in the last election by "cannabis-kieswijzer.nl", a website that ranks political parties by their cannabis-friendly policies.
P.M.Smith--AMWN