Documents & parliamentary papers

The knowledge base brings together key policy documents, reports and articles that shed light on the cannabis experiment and the regulation behind it — supplemented with explanations of political instruments and the scenarios for the period after 2029/2030.

Scenario development after 2029 / 2030

An amendment (ChristenUnie) tried to push for wind-down of the experiment. In the same vein, it is possible to steer early to prevent the experiment ending without structural follow-up.

Scenarios are developed on the basis of:

• interim reports,
• experience in participating municipalities,
• implementation practice,
• further elaboration of KPIs, criteria and assessment parameters,
• annual monitoring of the experiment.

Key moments:

• Committee debate on drugs policy — 12 March.
• Summer 2026 — first WODC study.
• After summer 2026 — first government response.
• 7 December 2028 — government position.
• 7 April 2029 — end of the experimental phase, start of the six-month wind-down phase.
• 7 October 2030 — possible end of the experiment, unless structural regulation has been introduced.

Amendment vs. motion

Two political instruments through which the House of Representatives steers legislation and implementation — both play a role in decision-making around the experiment.

Amendment

An amendment is a proposal to change a bill. It is submitted during the parliamentary handling of a bill.

• Targeted at changing the text.
• Handled in the House of Representatives.
• Put to a vote.

Example: "The House proposes to replace the word 'may' with 'must' in article 3."

Motion

A motion is a proposal on a topic that does not directly concern a bill. It is a request, statement or instruction to the government or another body.

• Concerns a judgement, request or call.
• May cover any topic.
• Put to a vote.

Example: "The House requests the government to investigate how … and to inform the House about this."

Bills

Closed Coffeeshop Supply Chain Act (34.997):

• Submitted: 12 July 2018
• Handling: 22 January 2019 in the House of Representatives
• Status: Adopted by the House of Representatives on 22 January 2019.
• Link: https://www.eerstekamer.nl/wetsvoorstel/34997_wet_experiment_gesloten

Amendment of the Act in connection with adding an eleventh municipality (36.279):

• Submitted: 16 December 2022
• Handling: 28 February 2024 in the House of Representatives
• Status: Decision: declared not controversial on 5 March 2024.
• Link: https://www.tweedekamer.nl/kamerstukken/wetsvoorstellen/detail?cfg=wetsvoorsteldetails&qry=wetsvoorstel%3A36279

Official publications

Closed Coffeeshop Supply Chain Act (2017) — link

Selection document for participating municipalities (2019) — link

1. Government Gazette 2023, 16702 — published 10 April 2023. Changes to the experiment regulation, including adjustments of grower requirements and additional guidelines. Link
2. Government Gazette 2024, 25953 — published 7 August 2024. NVWA's specific intervention policy for the experiment, describing possible interventions in case of breaches. Link
3. Government Gazette 2024, 200 — published 3 January 2024. Update of the intervention policy, aligned with the General Intervention Policy NVWA 2024. Link
4. Government Gazette 2024, 13150 — published 15 May 2024. Official notice of the start of the transition phase on 17 June 2024 in participating municipalities. Link
5. Government Gazette 2023, 34735 — published 15 December 2023. Amendment of the experiment regulation with specific changes and clarifications of grower requirements. Link
6. Government Gazette 2022, 15766 — published 17 June 2022. Council of State opinion on changes to the experiment decree, with a focus on requirements for coffeeshop operators and growers. Link
7. Parliamentary paper 36279 no. 9 — published 15 March 2024. Discussion of the transition phase and the possible addition of an eleventh municipality. Link
8. Publication of the selection document for participating municipalities — published 10 July 2019. Describes the selection process for the ten municipalities taking part. Link

Parliamentary papers on the experiment

Parliamentary papers on the experiment (various years) — link

Letters to parliament

1. Letter on developments in the Closed Coffeeshop Supply Chain Experiment — 5 August 2024. Link
2. Letter on the state of the experiment and coffeeshop policy — 17 June 2024. Link
3. Letter on the start date of the transition phase — 15 March 2024. Link
4. Letter on the start date of the lead-in phase — 15 September 2023. Link
5. Letter on the state of the experiment — 2 December 2022. Link
6. Letter on the experiment — 7 July 2022. Link
7. Letter on the experiment — 30 March 2022. Link
8. Letter on the state of the experiment — 4 November 2021. Link
9. Letter on the state of the experiment — 16 April 2021. Link
10. Letter on the lead-in phase and participation of Amsterdam — published 30 March 2023. Discussion of the lead-in phase and the conditions for possible participation of Amsterdam. Link

Reports and evaluations

1. Evaluation report of the Closed Coffeeshop Supply Chain Act (2023). Link
2. Report 'Future vision for cannabis regulation' (2020). Link

Scientific articles

1. "The Dutch coffeeshop model: from tolerance to regulating policy" (2019). Link
2. "Cannabis and public health: the impact of regulation on use and crime" (2021). Link

Submitted and adopted motions

A selection of submitted and adopted motions concerning the Closed Coffeeshop Supply Chain Experiment:

1. Motion Bikker et al. — following up on advice from police and the public prosecutor during the experiment

   • Date: 28 February 2024
   • Decision: Taken over
   • Paper: 36279-11

2. Motion Diederik van Dijk et al. — strict enforcement of articles where local policy determines enforcement

   • Date: 28 February 2024
   • Decision: Adopted
   • Paper: 36279-12

3. Motion Diederik van Dijk — to decide that the Closed Coffeeshop Supply Chain Act should be repealed

   • Date: 28 February 2024
   • Decision: Rejected
   • Paper: 36279-13

4. Motion Claassen — to put the entire experiment on hold

   • Date: 28 February 2024
   • Decision: Rejected
   • Paper: 36279-14

5. Motion Daniëlle Jansen and Bikker — monitor per participant whether the experiment increases cannabis use among young people under 24

   • Date: 28 February 2024
   • Decision: Held
   • Paper: 36279-15

6. Motion Michon-Derkzen and Bikker — periodic Bibob screening and a directive for designated growers

   • Date: 28 February 2024
   • Decision: Adopted
   • Paper: 36279-16

7. Motion Mutluer — investigate where all designated growers stand and whether they can be ready to produce within nine months

   • Date: 28 February 2024
   • Decision: Adopted
   • Paper: 36279-17

8. Motion Mutluer — introduce a nine-month deployment obligation for selected growers

   • Date: 28 February 2024
   • Decision: Adopted
   • Paper: 36279-18

9. Motion Bikker et al. — also apply the residency criterion to the experiment in Amsterdam-East

   • Date: 28 February 2024
   • Decision: Held
   • Paper: 36279-10

For a complete overview of all submitted motions, see the official website of the House of Representatives:

Link: Motions | House of Representatives