Part of: Closed coffeeshop chain experiment
From the 1976 tolerance policy to the Closed Coffeeshop Chain Act — how the experiment came about.
How the experiment came about
The Cannabis Experiment grows out of a decades-long debate on the Dutch tolerance construction. Selling in coffeeshops is tolerated, but cultivation and supply — the so-called back door — remained criminal. That back-door problem left supply uncontrollable product quality and lost tax revenues.
Timeline
1976 — Introduction of the tolerance policy
Dutch tolerance policy is formally introduced: possession of small quantities of cannabis (up to 5 grams) and sales in coffeeshops are permitted. Production and cultivation remain prohibited.
1980–2000 — Growth within the tolerance policy
The number of coffeeshops grows. Retail sale of cannabis develops within the tolerance policy, while cultivation and supply remain unregulated. This is the origin of the so-called back-door problem.
2000–2010 — Mounting public pressure
Mayors, municipalities and police raise the alarm over the back door problem. A political agreement on regulation fails to materialise.
2013 — First proposals for regulation
Political parties, local governments and the Bond van Cannabis Detaillisten begin to argue more actively for full regulation of the chain.
2017 — Closed Coffeeshop Chain Act
The House of Representatives votes in favour of the Act that provides the basis for the Cannabis Experiment.
2019 — Selection of municipalities
Ten municipalities are selected: Almere, Arnhem, Breda, Groningen, Heerlen, Hellevoetsluis (now Voorne aan Zee), Maastricht, Nijmegen, Tilburg and Zaanstad.
2020 — Official launch
The Closed Coffeeshop Chain Experiment Act enters into force on 1 July 2020. Production and distribution are subject to strict government oversight.
2021–2022 — Preparations
Growers are designated under strict conditions. Selection on reliability, production capacity and the ability to meet quality standards.
2023 — First harvests
The first harvests of legally grown cannabis are delivered to coffeeshops in the participating municipalities.
15 December 2023 — Run-up phase Breda & Tilburg
Coffeeshops in Breda and Tilburg may sell both regulated and tolerated products — preparation for the full transition.
17 June 2024 — Transition phase in all ten municipalities
Coffeeshops in all participating municipalities may sell regulated products alongside the tolerated assortment.
7 April 2025 — Start of the experimental phase
From this date coffeeshops in the participating municipalities may sell only legally grown cannabis. During the first two months illegal hashish is not yet enforced against.
1 September 2025 — End of the hashish exemption
The temporary exemption from the requirement to sell only regulated hashish lapses.
2029/2030 — Phase-out
After the four-year experimental phase (with up to eighteen months of possible extension) a six-month phase-out follows. After that, coffeeshops return to the previous situation unless the evaluation leads to a permanent regulatory scheme.
Detailed timeline
Tolerating cannabis: from origins to the experiment.
planned start after the experimental phase ends
After the four-year experimental phase, which can be extended by up to 1.5 years, a six-month wind-down phase follows. During this period participating coffeeshops return to the previous situation, unless the evaluation leads to a permanent arrangement.
end of the temporary exception for hashish
1 September 2025 – The temporary exception to the requirement that only regulated hashish may be sold ends on 1 September 2025. Until that date, coffeeshops in the experiment could still sell hashish that did not come from designated growers. The exception was introduced because of limited availability of regulated hashish and was extended several times. From 1 September 2025 onwards, only regulated hashish may be sold.
start of the experimental phase
7 April 2025 – From this date, coffeeshops in the participating municipalities may only sell legally cultivated cannabis. During the first two months, enforcement on the sale of illegally produced hashish is suspended.
start of the transition phase in all 10 participating municipalities
17 June 2024 – Coffeeshops in all participating municipalities are allowed to stock and sell regulated cannabis products alongside the tolerated supply. The phase is intended to make the transition to fully regulated sales as smooth as possible.
start of the lead-in phase in Breda and Tilburg
15 December 2023 – In this phase coffeeshops in Breda and Tilburg may offer both regulated and tolerated cannabis. It serves as preparation for the full transition to regulated products.
first harvests of legally grown cannabis
The first harvests of legally cultivated cannabis are produced and delivered to coffeeshops in participating municipalities. This marks the actual start of the experiment in practice — for the first time, coffeeshops can be supplied legally.
preparations for the experiment
Preparations for the experiment are made. This includes the designation of growers authorised to grow cannabis under strict conditions. Growers are selected on criteria including reliability, capacity to produce at scale and ability to meet quality standards.
formal announcement of the experiment
The official announcement of the start of the experiment. Its aim is to measure the effects of regulated cultivation and sale of cannabis on public health, crime and public order. Production and distribution are strictly controlled by the government.
the road to the experiment
After the law was approved in 2017, the selection process began for the participating municipalities. Ten municipalities were selected on criteria including local support for the experiment, presence of coffeeshops and willingness to participate.
The participating municipalities are:
o Arnhem
o Almere
o Breda
o Groningen
o Heerlen
o Hellevoetsluis
o Maastricht
o Nijmegen
o Tilburg
o Zaanstad
Closed Coffeeshop Supply Chain Act
The House of Representatives votes in favour of the Closed Coffeeshop Supply Chain Act, the law that lays the foundation for the cannabis experiment. Its goal is to test cultivation and distribution within a controlled system — regulating the entire chain from production to sale, so coffeeshops can be supplied legally — which, in the legislator's view, also reduces the scope for criminal organisations in the supply chain.
first proposals for regulation
Calls for a regulated market grow louder. Various political parties, local authorities and the Bond van Cannabis Detaillisten (BCD) start to actively advocate full regulation of the cannabis chain.
social and political pressure
Social and political pressure to tackle the unregulated cannabis supply grows. Mayors, municipalities and police regularly sound the alarm about what they describe as the criminality around the "back door". Even so, a political agreement on regulation fails to materialise.
growth within the tolerance policy
In this period the number of coffeeshops grows significantly. Cannabis sales through coffeeshops developed within the tolerance policy, while cultivation and supply were not regulated. This is what created the so-called back-door problem.
introduction of the tolerance policy
The introduction of the tolerance policy creates the unique Dutch situation in which sale of cannabis through coffeeshops is allowed, while cultivation and supply remain illegal.