DutchNews.nl - DutchNews.nl brings daily news from The Netherlands in English

23 May 2025
Newsletter Donate Advertise
  • News
  • Life in the Netherlands
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
  • Search
  • Home
  • Economy
  • Art and culture
  • Sport
  • Europe
  • Society
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Housing
  • Education
  • News
    • Home
    • Economy
    • Art and culture
    • Sport
    • Europe
    • Society
    • Environment
    • Health
    • Housing
    • Education
  • Life in the Netherlands
    • Latest
    • Opinion
    • Books
    • Travel
    • 10 Questions
    • Learning Dutch
    • Inburgering with DN
    • Food & Drink
    • Ask us anything
  • Jobs
  • Podcast
  • About us
    • Team
    • Donate
    • Advertise
    • Writing for Dutch News
    • Contact us
    • Privacy
    • Newsletter
  • Search

MPs say “no” to Amsterdam-Oost in regulated marijuana trial

March 5, 2024
Photo: N. van der Pas

Amsterdam will not take part in the regulated marijuana experiment which started last December in Tilburg and Breda, MPs agreed on Tuesday.

As expected, a majority of the new-look parliament voted against the amendment which would have made the participation of Amsterdam-Oost possible. But a proposal from the far right PVV to put the entire experiment “on hold” was only backed by the three Christian parties and Denk.

The government had hoped to include a big city to assess the impact of regulating the supply chain in a more complex area but all five said no. Amsterdam’s mayor later suggested adding Amsterdam Oost to the 10 smaller cities whose participation was approved earlier.

In the first phase of the trial, cannabis cafes or coffeeshops can continue selling “illegal” marijuana as well as regulated products and not all outlets will have to take part.

Later, all coffee shops in the cities where trials are taking place will be restricted to legal marijuana products only.

The experiment aims to assess if cannabis cafes, or coffee shops, can operate legally by buying the soft drug from official growers. Coffee shops are currently licenced by their local authority but buy the drug on the illegal circuit.

Amsterdam is the only city in the Netherlands where everyone over the age of 18 can buy cannabis products from a coffee shop. Elsewhere, only locals residents can use their facilities.

Ten growers have been given licences to provide exclusive produce to coffeeshops in Breda and Tilburg, and then to coffeeshops in another eight municipalities this year, including Groningen and Maastricht.

Share this article
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Copy URL
Amsterdam Drugs Marijuana
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.

We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.

Make a donation
Latest
Show more
Trump will attend Nato summit in The Hague, Schoof says
Dutch forensic experts develop deepfake video detector
Fewer international child abductions by parents last year
Weekend brings showers and cooler weather, sun still possible
Many "new" homes on Funda were already on the market for months
NewsHomeEconomyArt and cultureSportEuropeSocietyEnvironmentHealthHousingEducation
Life in the NetherlandsLatestOpinionBooksTravel10 QuestionsLearning DutchInburgering with DNFood & DrinkAsk us anything
About usTeamDonateAdvertiseWriting for Dutch NewsContact usPrivacyNewsletter
© 2025 DutchNews | Cookie settings

Help us to keep providing you information about coronavirus in the Netherlands.

Many thanks to everyone who has donated to DutchNews.nl in recent days!

We could not provide this service without you. If you have not yet made a contribution, you can do so here.

The DutchNews.nl team

Donate now

Dutchnews Survey

Please help us making DutchNews.nl a better read by taking part in a short survey.

Take part now