The Dutch system is arguably inferior to the systems adopted by Washington and Colorado, because in the Netherlands marijuana is still technically illegal: it's just that the sale and consumption are not punishable. The consequence of this system is that, although weed can be sold and used openly without fear of reprisal, it cannot be grown legally. All Dutch coffee shops must buy their weed from illegal growers, which allows criminal organizations to retain some foothold in an otherwise legal industry. In WA and CO, the sale, possession, use, and cultivation of marijuana are legal, not decriminalized, which means that every step of the process is authorized by the government and no illegal industry is necessary.