Regulated Cannabis Sales Policy Evolves In The Netherlands
Regional adult-use cannabis commerce pilot trials are permitted by European Union law since they are research-based. Pilot trials involve allowing local recreational cannabis sales to help national lawmakers and regulators gather information to be better informed when crafting national policies and regulations.
The Netherlands officially launched its first pilot trials in Breda and Tilburg back in December 2023, and since that time the research projects have expanded to Groningen, Zaanstad, Almere, Arnhem, Nijmegen, Voorne aan Zee, Heerlen, and Maastricht.
Starting in April 2025, all licensed cannabis shops in those jurisdictions will be required to only sell regulated cannabis products. Currently, shops participating in pilot trials can sell a combination of regulated cannabis products and ‘tolerated’ cannabis products.
“All coffee shops in all 10 participating municipalities are allowed to sell regulated products, in addition to tolerated products, to consumers. After almost a year of regulated supply, 70 of the total of 75 participating coffee shops have sold regulated weed and hashish.” the Netherlands government stated in a recent news release (translated from Dutch to English).
“The ‘Closed Coffee Shop Chain Experiment’ aims to investigate whether a regulated chain of production, distribution and sale of cannabis is possible. A team of researchers under the supervision of an independent Guidance and Evaluation Committee will also investigate the effects of this on public health, crime, safety and nuisance. The results of this research can contribute to decision-making on future cannabis policy in the Netherlands.” the government also stated.
In addition to the Netherlands, regional adult-use cannabis commerce pilot trails are also operating in various jurisdictions in Switzerland, and they are expected to launch in Germany sometime next year.
“The next phase of the experiment is the experimental phase. This phase starts on April 7, 2025. From then on, coffee shops in the 10 participating municipalities may only sell regulated products. This phase will last 4 years in principle. With a definitive date in sight, growers will have clarity about when they can start producing in full. This way, the supply of regulated weed and hash can be further tailored to the demand of coffee shop owners. In addition, the 5th, 6th and 7th growers are also expected to be ready to deliver in April. This will benefit both the choice of coffee shops and the stability of the supply.” the Netherlands government stated about the pilot trials going forward.