Breda and Tilburg (Netherlands) to start selling legal cannabis on December 15, 2023

After several years and delays, experimentation of legal cannabis in the Netherlands will finally begin on December 15, 2023.

According to sources involved in the project, the experiment will kick off in the cities of Breda and Tilburg before the end of the year.

This news was first communicated to De Telegraaf, before being officially announced by the Dutch government the following day and covered by CannabisIndustrie.nl.

«The outgoing health minister, Mr Kuipers, had announced at the beginning of the year that the start-up phase would begin with three cultivators, but the third is not ready in time. To maintain support for the experiment, we have decided to waive the condition that a minimum of three growers must be ready,» write the minister and his justice colleague Yesilgöz in a letter to the lower house.

Volgens betrokkenen mogen Breda en Tilburg dit jaar al los. Andere deelnemers volgen naar verwachting begin volgend jaar. Bij de proef krijgen coffeeshops ’staatswiet’ aangeleverd van door de overheid geselecteerde telers.https://t.co/x4cnqwxhUf

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- De Telegraaf (@telegraaf) September 14, 2023

The Dutch government website also states the following:

«The cabinet has decided that the start-up phase of legal cannabis experimentation will begin on December 15, 2023. The latest planning shows that by the fourth quarter of 2023, two legal producers should be ready to supply coffeeshops. This will be enough to launch the start-up phase of the experiment in Breda and Tilburg. During this phase, participating coffee shops in these municipalities will be allowed to offer both legally grown and tolerated products.»

Other participating municipalities could join the first two cities during the first quarter of 2024, provided growers are ready and supply is sufficient.

Why experiment with legal cannabis in the Netherlands?

At present, the Netherlands apply a policy of tolerance with regard to coffeeshops and the sale of cannabis. On the other hand, growing and delivering cannabis to coffeeshops is illegal, making cannabis growers illegal.

The experiment with legal cannabis in the Netherlands is therefore intended to authorize a defined number of producers to grow cannabis and supply coffeeshops volunteering to take part in the legal distribution of cannabis. 11 towns have volunteered so far to host the experiment.