The Netherlands is famous for its coffeeshops, but the country has never legalised cannabis. Sales in coffeeshops are tolerated, while the cultivation that supplies them has been illegal. That contradiction is what the wietexperiment is meant to resolve. In ten municipalities, coffeeshops now sell only cannabis from state-selected and inspected growers. Here we look at why the experiment exists, how it works and what the first follow-up shows.
Key facts
- Coffeeshops are tolerated in the Netherlands, but buying and growing cannabis for them has been illegal.
- The wietexperiment tests a fully regulated chain, from grower to coffeeshop.
- Ten municipalities take part, with almost 80 coffeeshops and no more than ten selected growers.
- Since 7 April 2025, coffeeshops in the experiment may sell only regulated cannabis.
- The first follow-up in September 2026 showed a wider range of products but no clear effects yet on health or crime.
Background: the tolerance policy and the back-door problem
Since the 1970s, Dutch drug law has distinguished between hard drugs and soft drugs such as cannabis. Cannabis remains illegal, but the state has an explicit tolerance policy, known as gedoogbeleid. Anyone with no more than 5 grams of cannabis or no more than five plants for personal use is generally not prosecuted, and coffeeshops may sell cannabis if they meet a number of conditions:
- No more than 5 grams per person per day.
- A stock of no more than 500 grams.
- No sales to anyone under 18.
- No advertising, no hard drugs and no alcohol.
- No nuisance to the surrounding area.
Under the rules, coffeeshops may also sell only to residents of the Netherlands, but it is up to the municipalities how this is applied in practice.
The problem lies in what is known as the back door. Coffeeshops may sell over the counter, but nobody is allowed to grow cannabis or sell it to them legally. Their stock has therefore come from the illegal market, and nobody has been able to check what is actually being sold. The wietexperiment, officially the experiment gesloten coffeeshopketen, is an attempt to close that gap.
How the wietexperiment works
The aim is to find out whether the production, distribution and sale of cannabis can be regulated, and what that would mean for public health, safety and crime. Ten municipalities take part: Almere, Arnhem, Breda, Groningen, Heerlen, Hellevoetsluis, Maastricht, Nijmegen, Tilburg and Zaanstad. All coffeeshops in those municipalities, almost 80 in total, are included.
The cannabis comes from no more than ten growers selected by the state. Products are checked by the Dutch Food and Consumer Product Safety Authority (NVWA), and compliance is monitored by the Inspectorate of Justice and Security. An independent committee oversees the experiment, and researchers compare the participating municipalities with municipalities that are not taking part.
Timeline
- 15 December 2023: Breda and Tilburg became the first municipalities to sell cannabis from the selected growers.
- 17 June 2024: The transition phase began in all ten municipalities. Coffeeshops could sell both regulated and tolerated cannabis.
- 7 April 2025: The experimental phase itself began. Since then, only regulated cannabis may be sold in participating coffeeshops.
- September 2026: The first follow-up measurement was published.
- Summer 2028: The final report is expected. The experimental phase runs for four years.
What does the first follow-up show?
On 9 September 2026 the first follow-up measurement was published, based on data from September 2025 to March 2026. Customers in the experiment municipalities were generally satisfied. The range of cannabis and hash varieties has become wider, and visitors rated the price-to-quality ratio more positively than before the experiment. The price of cannabis fell more in the experiment municipalities than in the comparison municipalities, while the price of hash rose.
When it comes to visiting habits, consumption, health and safety, however, there were no clear differences from municipalities outside the experiment. Some purchases still take place outside the coffeeshops, mainly because prices are lower and larger quantities can be bought. The researchers stress that it is too early to draw conclusions and that more measurements are needed. What the first year looked like in practice, with supply problems and a temporary shortage of hash, is covered in
The Dutch Wietexperiment One Year On.
The politics around the experiment
The wietexperiment has been politically contested ever since it was decided. In January 2026, D66, VVD and CDA presented their coalition agreement, and the Jetten government took office in February. The parties hold different views on cannabis. D66 wants regulation, CDA is critical and VVD has chosen to wait and see. The compromise was that the experiment continues, is evaluated and that the next steps are decided on the basis of the results.
What it means for Europe
The Netherlands has chosen to test a new model on a small scale, measure the results and let the research guide the next decision. The results will be followed closely across Europe, not least since Germany legalised cannabis in 2024 and several countries are discussing how a regulated market could be designed. You can read how things have gone in Germany in
Germany’s Cannabis Law Two Years On.
The wietexperiment concerns cannabis with THC. CBD products made from EU-certified industrial hemp are a different matter, and you can see a selection of our CBD flowers further down the page.
Is cannabis legal in the Netherlands?
No. Cannabis is illegal, but the state tolerates sales in coffeeshops and possession of up to 5 grams for personal use.
What is the wietexperiment?
A state experiment in which coffeeshops in ten municipalities sell only cannabis from selected and inspected growers, to test whether the whole chain can be regulated.
Which municipalities take part in the wietexperiment?
Almere, Arnhem, Breda, Groningen, Heerlen, Hellevoetsluis, Maastricht, Nijmegen, Tilburg and Zaanstad.
How long does the wietexperiment last?
The experimental phase began on 7 April 2025 and runs for four years. The final report is expected in summer 2028.
What is the back-door problem?
Coffeeshops may sell cannabis over the counter, but nobody may legally grow or supply cannabis to them. Their stock has therefore come from the illegal market.
Sources
- Rijksoverheid. Gedoogbeleid softdrugs en coffeeshops.
- Rijksoverheid. Aanleiding en opzet experiment gesloten coffeeshopketen.
- Rijksoverheid (2023). Aanloopfase wietexperiment start 15 december 2023 in Breda en Tilburg.
- Nationaal Programma Leefbaarheid en Veiligheid (2025). Start van de experimenteerfase op 7 april.
- WODC (2026). Mogelijke effecten wietexperiment nog niet vast te stellen.
- Trimbos-instituut (2026). Eerste bevindingen uit het Experiment Gesloten Coffeeshopketen.
- Soft Secrets (2026). Kabinet Jetten gaat door met wietexperiment.
