The Story of Dutch Weed Policy

The Dutch get tourists from all over the world, and each traveler brings in their specific culture and value systems with them. In a progressive society sometimes these different ideas can cause visitors offense, confusion, or even conflict with the natives.

One of the most controversial ideas is gedoogbeleid: the tolerance of recreational marijuana use for personal consumption, which has been a Dutch policy for half a century. But lately, the world seems to have changed its attitude towards this compelling plant, so this blog is to inform and discuss the latest trends in drug policy for Holland.

50 Years of Tolerance

In the 1970s, the heroin problem in Northern Europe was severe – so severe that ‘hard’ drug use was reclassified as a serious crime while ‘soft drugs’ like weed, hash, and mushrooms were decriminalized in the Netherlands. Since then, the country has been split on the ruling, though no one can deny that by the late 80s Dutch hard drug use had gone down substantially.

By the turn of the 21st century, the ‘tolerance’ policy took many forms around the Netherlands, and each city adopted a slightly different version of it. This meant in some areas only residents could buy pot while for others it was widely available. Some towns offered take-away weed only while others allowed consumption in-store. Still other ‘coffeeshops’ required a picture ID, while many did not – so there was no consistency between regions. This reality caused a lot of headaches for police, law-abiding tourists, and residents and unfortunately this is still the case today.

Your Marijuana Guide by Area

As of the summer of 2025, here’s a general guide to pot rules by region.

Amsterdam – With over 160 coffeeshops within the city limits, the Dutch capital is also the Herb Capital of Europe and hosts the Cannabis Cup every year. Pot is legal for everyone and well tolerated except in areas specifically protected by signs and local ordinances. Rule of thumb: smoke in the coffeeshops or where others smoke. Do not smoke indoors anywhere else or you may get hassled.

Rotterdam – Over three dozen coffeeshops serve the city, and usage is ignored by most people except on public transport, where you will get fined. Large open areas like parks and the riverwalk are fine places to toke during the day, but avoid city parks at night. The Zuidplein, Marconiplein and Spangen neighborhoods are high-crime areas that are best left unexplored.

The Hague – While Scheveningen Beach is a great place to smoke up and chill out, not all places in Den Haag embrace the wacky tobacky. Luckily, you can smoke inside most of the 30+ coffeeshops in town, but the police here are a bit stricter than the other Randstad cities, especially during the day, near the Binnenhof, and in the embassy area. While weed here is slightly cheaper than A’dam, the quality and availability varies.

Utrecht – With just a handful of options, only the wonderful but hard to find Culture Boat allows indoor smoking. Other shops in town are small, takeaway establishments with obvious security and an all-business vibe. On the Oudegracht (the main old canal in the city center) two shops cater to tourists – the long-standing Andersom (Vismarkt 23) and Coffeeshop 030 (208 Oudegracht) now under new management. Some require a picture ID, but most don’t – watch the entrance or ask the door security staff. With 40,000+ students in town, smoking is outside is commonplace, but indoor smoking in public is frowned upon, especially in the mall or the library, where arrests have occurred.

Maastricht – In principle, only legally registered residents can enter coffeeshops and buy weed legally in Maastricht. This was originally to curb ‘weed-tourists’ from nearby Germany and Belgium and has been somewhat successful. But now that Germany has officially legalized herb, what is the point?

Cannabis laws in Maastricht are relatively lenient, but tourists face restrictions. Residents and students can purchase cannabis legally from coffeeshops, while visitors often resort to street dealers. Enforcement is strict on quantities—coffeeshops cannot sell more than 5 grams per person per day, and buying from unauthorized dealers carries legal risks. The cannabis available at coffeeshops is generally high quality, while street dealers tend to offer lower-quality. Tourists who cannot purchase cannabis without a Weed Pass may seek assistance from a local willing to buy on their behalf.

Advice: Buy your weed elsewhere and bring it to smoke privately in Maastricht. If you must get your Ganja in town, immigrants sell it by the river bridges around sunset – but bring a couple male friends along just to be safe.

Den Bosch – Since May 14, 2024, the admission requirements for coffee shops in ‘s-Hertogenbosch have been relaxed, making it easier for expats and exchange students to enter. The new rules are in line with those in Tilburg. In ‘S-Hertogenbosch you must have a +18 ID of some sort to enter one of the six dispensaries in town, none of which are open late. You can only smoke inside at the two Grass Company shops, which are also alcohol-free restaurants. Public smoking is well-tolerated except near schools and children.

Tilburg & Breda – Tilburg and Breda are part of a cannabis regulation experiment aimed at replacing the current tolerance policy with a controlled supply chain. Since late 2023, coffeeshops in these cities have been permitted to sell legally grown cannabis from approved suppliers while still offering tolerated but unregulated products during the transition. The experiment seeks to reduce criminal involvement and improve quality control.

As of April 2025, only regulated cannabis will be sold in participating cities. This shift is expected to enhance transparency, protect consumer health, and minimize illegal trade. Tilburg had already eased coffeeshop access for expats and exchange students, a policy later adopted by Den Bosch. This means herb is easy to get for everybody and generally high quality. There are a half dozen shops in Breda but nearly four times as many in Tilburg. Beware: Tilburg street dealers on the boardwalk talk a good game but their pot’s often terrible and overpriced – stick with the shops!

Arnhem – Of the twelve coffeeshops in the city, only two are “take ‘n toke” without seating, the rest are traditional coffeeshops. Arnhem is part of the Dutch cannabis regulation experiment, which aims to replace the tolerance policy with a controlled supply chain. Since June 2024, coffeeshops in Arnhem have been allowed to sell regulated cannabis from approved suppliers while still offering tolerated but unregulated products during the transition phase.

The experiment seeks to reduce criminal involvement in cannabis production and improve quality control. As of 2025, coffeeshops in Arnhem will only sell regulated cannabis. The vibe here is great, but ‘THC’ and ‘The Speak Easy’ don’t accept certain tourist IDs, which are required as proof of age 18+.

Toast your joint with a zesty smoothie – but remember alcohol is illegal ANYWHERE herb is sold, throughout the Netherlands.

Eindhoven – Only half of the dozen weed shops allow inside smoking, so check this website to find the one that’s right for you. Luckily, you’ll find tourists are welcome in all the coffeeshops here, even if they’re not up to the standard of large A’dam facilities.

A good animated introduction for first-time herb users

A video about the Amsterdam coffeehouse experience