Coffeeshops In The Netherlands

In the Netherlands, coffeeshops are establishments where the sale of cannabis for personal consumption by the public is tolerated by the local authorities. Under the drug policy of the Netherlands, the sale of cannabis products in small quantities is allowed by licensed coffeeshops.

Coffee Shops en Los Países Bajos

Coffeeshops in den Niederlanden

The majority of these also serve drinks and food. Coffeeshops are not allowed to serve alcohol or other drugs, and risk closure if they are found to be selling soft drugs to minors, hard drugs or selling alcohol. The idea of licensing the sale of cannabis was introduced in the 1970s for the explicit purpose of keeping hard and soft drugs separated.
A Dutch judge has ruled that tourists can legally be banned from entering cannabis cafes, as part of restrictions that were implemented in 2012. City councils can choose whether to implement this ban or not. This ban is only implemented by a few municipalities in the southern Netherlands.
The city council in Maastricht allows tourists to visit coffeeshops, but all except one have made a voluntary agreement to only allow locals, local residents being defined as anyone living within a 150km radius (local people from Belgium and Germany are still allowed). The ban is not enforced in the city of Amsterdam and most other parts of the Netherlands.

مقهى كانابيس

Coffeeshops (Cannabis) aux Pays-Bas

Coffeeshop Cobra w Tiel, Holandia — Coffeeshop Cobra in Tiel, The Netherlands

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кофешопы в нидерландах

コーヒーショップ (オランダ)

Coffee Shop (Marihuana) w Holandii

Coffeeshops in Nederland

Each municipality has a coffeeshop policy. Some do not allow any; most of these municipalities are either controlled by strict Protestant parties, or are bordering Belgium and Germany and do not wish to receive “drug tourism” from those countries. A 19 March 2005 article in the Observer noted that the number of Dutch cannabis coffeeshops had dropped from 1,500 to 750 over the previous five years, largely due to pressure from the conservative coalition government. The “no-growth” policies of many Dutch cities affect new licensing. This policy slowly reduces the number of coffeeshops, since no one can open a new one after a closure. Most municipalities have designated a certain zone (e.g. around schools and high schools) where coffeeshops are not allowed, which may be from a hundred metres to several kilometres. The municipality of Terneuzen has put up road signs showing the way to the coffeeshops and decided to restrict local by-laws for cannabis from May 2009.