Part of: Closed coffeeshop chain experiment
2025 at a glance
7 April 2025 — Start of the experimental phase
The experimental phase of the Dutch cannabis experiment officially began. Coffeeshops in participating municipalities may sell only regulated cannabis. Because the supply of regulated hashish was still insufficient, illegal hashish was not yet enforced against in the first two months — illegal cannabis flower, however, was enforced against from day one.
10 June 2025 — Full enforcement
From this date only regulated hashish may be sold as well (the exemption was officially extended until 1 September 2025).
26 June 2025 — Declared controversial
The House of Representatives officially declared the Cannabis Experiment controversial. The caretaker cabinet will take no further political decisions on it; the national continuation phase is on hold for now. Important: the experiment cannot be cancelled either — a caretaker cabinet may not reverse course or halt the experiment.
See also: List of controversial topics 2025 (Dutch).
1 September 2025 — End of the hashish exemption
From this date the temporary exemption is definitively ended and participating coffeeshops may sell only regulated hashish.
What this means
In practice: the chain runs on, growers supply, coffeeshops sell, regulators inspect. For policy: pause mode until a new cabinet is formed. Until then, participants are gathering — in practice — what works and what hurts, which is exactly the point of an experiment.