Cannabis in the Netherlands

Cannabis is not legal in the Netherlands, but its sale is tolerated. Under the national tolerance policy (gedoogbeleid), licensed coffeeshops may sell small amounts to adults as long as they meet strict criteria: no nuisance, no hard drugs, no sales to anyone under 18, no advertising, and no more than 5 grams per person in a single transaction. Municipalities decide whether coffeeshops may operate at all, how many, and under which extra local rules. Individuals are not prosecuted for possessing up to 5 grams or growing up to five plants, although both remain technically illegal.

The policy has a long-standing gap known as the back door: shops may sell, but growing and supplying cannabis to them is still a crime. The Experiment gesloten coffeeshopketen (the controlled-supply trial, widely called the wietexperiment) tests the alternative. After a start-up phase in Breda and Tilburg from 15 December 2023 and a transition phase from 17 June 2024, the experiment phase began on 7 April 2025 in ten municipalities: Almere, Arnhem, Breda, Groningen, Heerlen, Maastricht, Nijmegen, Tilburg, Voorne aan Zee and Zaanstad. All of their coffeeshops, 79 in total, must take part and may sell only cannabis from up to ten government-designated growers, in sealed, neutral packaging tracked from farm to counter. The food and product safety authority NVWA checks quality, and the phase is set to run four years, extendable by up to a year and a half. Mayors paused enforcement against imported hash until 10 June 2025. The coalition agreement of D66, CDA and VVD presented in January 2026 says the experiment will continue and be evaluated before any next step.

Who can buy depends on the city. Since 2013 national policy has included a residents criterion limiting coffeeshops to people registered in the Netherlands, but enforcement is left to municipalities. Maastricht applies it strictly, and the experiment rules require it in participating municipalities on the Belgian or German border, which includes Breda. Amsterdam has not adopted it, so tourists with valid ID can still buy there; the city has, however, banned smoking cannabis on the street in the Wallen red-light district since 25 May 2023, with a €100 fine after a warning. Outside the trial, taking cannabis across the border, selling it on, and any purchase above 5 grams are not tolerated.