Simone van Breda — Chair of the Dutch Association of Cannabis Retailers (BCD) and coffeeshop policy expert

Connecting where it chafes — to create movement where it truly matters.
Simone van Breda
In the spotlight
Chair since 2019. Active in the public domain since 2013.
At the table with coffeeshops, municipalities, ministries, banks and international forums — on the cannabis supply chain experiment, banking issues, the i-criterion and the international dialogue on cannabis regulation.
Latest
Recent work, publications and upcoming events

Article/ 5 oktober 2026
Kort geding tegen Worldline: rechter kritisch op onderbouwing blokkade Amerikaanse betaalkaarten
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Article/ 24 september 2026
Reguleringssessie: De gereguleerde keten na de eerste vervolgmeting – wat nu?
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Article/ 15 september 2026
We hebben een nieuw kantoor!
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Article/ 11 september 2026
Nul is ook een maximum. En wel het zwaarst denkbare.
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Article/ 9 september 2026
Eerste vervolgmeting experiment gesloten coffeeshopketen — Gereguleerde keten functioneert, geen toename gemeten consumptie
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Article/ 12 August 2026
We inform municipalities and municipal councils about coffeeshop policy, but the same questions keep coming back.
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Article/ 16 July 2026
From 'drug sweets' to cannabis sweets
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Article/ 15 July 2026
Record year for intercepted cannabis followed by a sharp decline — what do the new Customs figures actually say?
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Article/ 7 July 2026
Worldline issues still unresolved: known cancellations now exceed 90
Read moreWhat I
bring to the table
.
As chair of the Dutch Association of Cannabis Retailers (BCD) and through Het Strategiebureau and the Recreational Cannabis Foundation.
Approach
Starting from the coffeeshop's everyday practice, ending at the table in The Hague and Brussels — backed by research, data and voices from the sector.
Advocacy
Chair of the BCD: at the table with municipalities, ministries, parliament, banks and the Dutch Banking Association (NVB) — on behalf of the Dutch coffeeshop sector.
Cannabis experiment & regulation
Involved in the closed cannabis supply chain experiment since 2020 — first as project lead for a cultivation licence application, now as a discussion partner on implementation and evaluation.
Sector & members
Professionalising the BCD: annual plan, working groups, local branches and research that gives the sector practical tools — such as the report on banking issues.
Speaker & international
Keynotes and panels at TEDx Amsterdam, Cannabis Europa and ICS Cape Town; contributions to the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs in Vienna on behalf of the Recreational Cannabis Foundation.

Position
"The Dutch coffeeshop isn't a problem to be solved — it's a fifty-year-old practice the world can learn from, provided we now give it the right legal foundation."
Foundation · ANBI · International
Recreational Cannabis Foundation — from local to global
A Dutch ANBI foundation contributing to European and global legislation on recreational cannabis — connecting policymakers, researchers and entrepreneurs worldwide through the Union of Cannabis Retailers (UCR) platform.
As founder and board member, I share Dutch practical expertise through RCF at conferences, panels and international bodies such as the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs.
Support the mission
Donations go directly towards research, knowledge-sharing and international cooperation.
- Status
- ANBI
- Platform
- UCR (NL · EU · Global)
- IBAN
- NL53 RABO 0162 7312 48
Strategic advice
What you can engage me for personally
Through Het Strategiebureau, I am available for strategic advice, research and feasibility, case and process guidance, and business mentoring. This is separate from my board role at the BCD.
My specialism is coffee shop policy, licensing, locations and banking questions. I bring facts and interests together and involve an accountant, lawyer or other specialist where needed.
Get in touch
Question, interview or case? Get in touch.
For press, politics, municipalities and partners in the sector. An initial introduction takes about half an hour, online or in person.