News item | 10-12-2024 | 10:00
From April 7, 2025, coffee shops in municipalities participating in the cannabis experiment may only sell regulated cannabis. The responsible ministers, Minister Van Weel (J&V) and State Secretary Karremans (VWS), informed the House about this today. This date is final, so that there is a clear perspective for municipalities, coffee shop owners and growers.
One year of regulated sales
On December 15, 2023, the sale of regulated cannabis and hashish started in coffee shops in Tilburg and Breda. Since June 17 of this year, all coffee shops in all ten participating municipalities have been allowed to sell regulated products, in addition to tolerated products, to consumers.
After almost a year of regulated supply, 70 of the 75 participating coffee shops have sold regulated weed and hash.
Experiment phase
The next phase of the experiment is the experiment phase. This phase starts on April 7, 2025. From then on, coffee shops in the ten participating municipalities may only sell regulated products. In principle, this phase lasts 4 years. With a definitive date in sight, growers have clarity about when they can start full production. This way, the supply of regulated cannabis and hashish can be further tailored to the demand of coffee shop owners. In addition, the fifth, sixth and seventh growers are also expected to be ready to supply in April. This will benefit both the choice of coffee shops and the sustainability of the supply.
Research
The aim of the ‘Closed coffee shop chain experiment’ is to investigate whether a regulated chain of production, distribution and sale of cannabis is possible. A team of researchers under the guidance of an independent Guidance and Evaluation Committee is also investigating the effects of this on public health, crime, safety and nuisance. The results of this research can contribute to decision-making about future cannabis policy in the Netherlands.