Part of: Closed coffeeshop chain experiment
Constructive, but realistic
BCD supports the goal of the experiment: learning what a closed chain delivers for safety, public health and crime-fighting. We also stress that the experiment will only succeed if its implementation is workable for operators and remains attractive to consumers.
What we ask for during the experiment
- Sufficient assortment breadth (including hashish), so the step to street dealing does not become attractive.
- Workable margins for coffeeshops and growers, with realistic front-door pricing.
- Alignment with banking services: participants work with invoices from legal growers and therefore belong to the lowest risk profile.
- Clear communication to customers about what changes and what stays the same.
- Room for local tailoring within the national framework — what works in Maastricht is not what works in Zaanstad.
The question after 2030
BCD advocates a timely, substantive evaluation and a political debate that reaches beyond a yes or no to extension. The central question should be: which parts of the regulated chain work and deserve to be extended, and which require adjustment?
Our role
BCD represents the practical knowledge of coffeeshop operators in this dossier. We share bottlenecks and successes with ministries, municipalities, growers and researchers, and make sure the evaluation reflects what actually happens in the shop.