Cannabis in Netherlands

The Netherlands occupies a unique position in global cannabis policy through its long-standing "gedoogbeleid" (tolerance policy) dating back to 1976. Under this policy, the sale of small amounts of cannabis (up to 5 grams) in licensed coffee shops is tolerated by authorities, though cannabis technically remains illegal under Dutch law. This creates the famous paradox where front-door sales to consumers are tolerated while the back-door supply to coffee shops operates in a legal gray area.

There are approximately 570 licensed coffee shops operating across the Netherlands, down from a peak of over 1,500 in the 1990s. Amsterdam alone accounts for roughly 170 coffee shops, making it a global symbol of cannabis tolerance. Coffee shops must adhere to strict rules: no advertising, no hard drugs, no sales to minors under 18, no public nuisance, and maximum 500-gram inventory.

In an effort to address the illegal supply chain, the Dutch government launched a pilot program (the Wietexperiment) in 2023 in select municipalities to test a regulated supply chain for coffee shops. Under this program, licensed growers supply cannabis directly to participating coffee shops, creating a fully legal seed-to-sale chain for the first time. The pilot is expected to run for four years before a decision on national implementation.

Medical cannabis has been available in the Netherlands since 2003 through the Office of Medicinal Cannabis (Bureau voor Medicinale Cannabis), a government agency under the Ministry of Health that oversees the production and distribution of pharmaceutical-grade cannabis. Dutch medical cannabis is grown by a single licensed producer (Bedrocan) and is available through pharmacies with a prescription.