Next step in cannabis experiment: 10 municipalities selling regulated and tolerated weed

The next step in the regulated cannabis experiment starts on Monday. All ten participating municipalities can now sell both tolerated and regulated cannabis. This transitional phase will last three months. After that, the intention is that the coffeeshops in these municipalities only sell regulated cannabis. Tolerated cannabis will no longer be allowed.

The cannabis experiment started at the end of last year in Breda and Tilburg, where coffeeshops have been selling both regulated and tolerated cannabis since. Groningen, Zaanstad, Almere, Arnhem, Nijmegen, Voorne aan Zee, Heerlen, and Maastricht are now joining them.

The new phase of the cannabis experiment is called the “transition phase,” in which the “quantity, quality, and diversity” of regulated products are optimized. Coffeeshop owners want multiple growers to supply them so that their range is diverse, for example. If that is impossible, they fear an increase in illegal trade.

Initially, the involved coffeeshops were not allowed to have more than 500 grams of regulated cannabis, but that limit was later increased to a week’s supply.

Only the VVD is a strong advocate for the experiment in the new coalition. The PVV previously proposed pausing the experiment until a new Cabinet takes office, but a majority in parliament voted against this. NSC and BBB have spoken out against expanding the trial.