News & media
A selection of interviews, articles and publications on regulation, strategy and policy — with a focus on transparency and translating complex issues into concrete proposals.
1 April 2026
Administrative jurisprudence concerning Apeldoorn (2023) and Heerlen (2025) mandates that the duration of coffeeshop permits must be limited and a scarce permit system applied. This reasoning is incomplete.
1 April 2026
Municipalities are increasingly stating that, since the rulings of the Afdeling Bestuursrechtspraak (Administrative Jurisdiction Division) concerning Apeldoorn (2023), they are obliged to adapt their coffeeshop policy.
30 March 2026
What happens after the closed coffeeshop chain experiment? During a regulation session on 13 May, attention will be paid to the limited time for follow-up and the need for timely preparation.
30 March 2026
The Experiment gesloten coffeeshopketen (closed coffeeshop chain experiment) is approaching the end of its first year. This brings a question increasingly to the forefront.
25 May 2026
Reports have recently circulated concerning blue-coloured hashish potentially containing a synthetic cannabinoid. This hashish was reportedly purchased in the Netherlands and subsequently analysed by a foreign laboratory. Following these reports, we contacted the Trimbos-instituut (Trimbos Institute, a national knowledge institute for mental health and addiction).
25 May 2026
There have been recent reports circulating about blue-coloured hashish potentially containing a synthetic cannabinoid. Following these reports, we have been in contact with the Trimbos-instituut (Dutch Institute for Mental Health and Addiction).
24 January 2026
Recently, hospitality entrepreneurs received invoices from the Horeca Ontwikkel Platform (HOP) (Hospitality Development Platform). The invoices were unexpected for many entrepreneurs, which immediately raised questions about their origin, the obligation, and the way in which this was introduced sector-wide.
24 January 2026
Recently, hospitality entrepreneurs received invoices from the Horeca Ontwikkel Platform (HOP) (Hospitality Development Platform).
21 May 2026 · 8 minutes min read
A mayor is more than just an implementer of rules. When entrepreneurs, employees, and families are negatively affected by policy, the office calls for diligence, proportionality, and the human touch – not a standard reference to objections and appeals.
16 July 2026 · 6 minutes min read
In Utrecht, bags of so-called Teddy Pops were found, and two children fell ill. RTV Utrecht reported on 'drug sweets', while NU.nl referred to them as 'cannabis sweets' and 'THC' — without the police having confirmed this. NOS then adopted this characterisation.
15 July 2026
The Douane (Customs Administration) intercepted 7,894 kg of cannabis in the first half of 2026: 62% less than in 2025, but the amount of hashish tripled, and the number of seizures actually increased. What do the figures truly indicate?
13 February 2026
The lawsuit against Worldline revolves around a question that is both principled and highly practical: can a payment service provider terminate an entire sector while admitting that there are no individual objections against the entrepreneurs involved? On 20 November, several coffeeshops received a termination letter, ending their debit card processing contract. This termination was not based on co
13 February 2026
The lawsuit against Worldline revolves around a question that is both principled and highly practical.
13 March 2026
The preliminary relief judge in Utrecht has prohibited Worldline from terminating its pin payment contracts with Dutch coffeeshops; services must be continued pending the main proceedings.
12 August 2026 · 8 minutes min read
We send municipalities and municipal councils legal arguments, jurisprudence, and examples regarding scarce permits and permit duration. Yet, the same questions reappear months later. An acknowledgement of receipt is not yet a transfer of knowledge.
12 February 2026
The lawsuit filed by Stichting Amsterdam heeft een Keuze (Amsterdam has a Choice Foundation) against the municipality of Amsterdam revolves around the question of how the city should deal with tourist pressure and liveability. The Foundation argues that, based on the Verordening Toerisme in Balans (Bylaw on Tourism in Balance), the municipality would be obliged to take measures to reduce tourism and nuisance.
12 February 2026
The lawsuit brought by Stichting Amsterdam heeft een Keuze (Amsterdam has a Choice Foundation) against the municipality of Amsterdam.
10 June 2026
The EUDA published the European Drug Report 2026. Cannabis remains the most widely used illicit drug in Europe. The report describes an increasingly diverse market, risks associated with high-potency products and semi-synthetic cannabinoids, and explicitly mentions the Netherlands in relation to cannabis seizures, dismantled production sites, and the experiment gesloten coffeeshopketen (closed coffeeshop chain experiment).
9 June 2026
Dutch coffeeshop policy is fundamentally a form of harm reduction and prevention. Reports concerning international tobacco interests behind a participant in the cannabis experiment raise understandable concerns — and underscore why public control over the supply chain is crucial.
7 July 2026
Four months after the preliminary injunction by the provisional relief judge, the Worldline issue remains unresolved. The number of cancellations known to us has now risen to over 90.
6 March 2026
The Preliminary Relief Judge (Voorzieningenrechter) in Utrecht prohibits Worldline from terminating the agreements with the coffeeshops concerned. Worldline's stated ground for termination, that its (acquiring) bank no longer wishes to accept the processing of transactions from Dutch coffeeshops, is rejected.
6 March 2026
The Preliminary Relief Judge (Voorzieningenrechter) in Utrecht has prohibited Worldline from terminating agreements with the coffeeshops concerned.
4 March 2026
In public debate, it is suggested that visitor numbers are increasing, but city centre entrepreneurs report fewer customers and a 66% decrease in turnover. Ipsos I&O conducted research for Bond van Cannabis Detaillisten (BCD) (Association of Cannabis Retailers) (Jan–Feb 2026) into whether the type of tourist had changed and whether policies on crowding and liveability, according to entrepreneurs, influence visits and spending.
4 February 2026
The latest figures from the Nationale Drug Monitor (NDM, 2026 edition) (National Drug Monitor) provide a comprehensive and factual overview of cannabis consumption in the Netherlands. In 2024, 6.9% of adults (18+) consumed cannabis in the past year. This equates to approximately 980,000 adults.
4 March 2026
In recent years, Amsterdam's city centre has been deliberately managed to reduce crowds and nuisance, with a view to improving liveability. At the same time, 66% of entrepreneurs report a decrease in turnover.
3 June 2026
Recently, reports have circulated about blue-coloured hashish in which a synthetic cannabinoid may have been found. The reports suggest this hashish was purchased in the Netherlands and later examined by a foreign laboratory. Following these reports, we contacted the Trimbos-instituut (Trimbos Institute, a national research institute for mental health and addiction).
3 June 2026
The new coalition agreement between PRO Amsterdam and D66 Amsterdam explicitly states that the i-criterion will not be implemented. For Amsterdam's coffeeshops, this is the most important passage in the agreement.
2 May 2026 · 9 minutes min read
Sliedrecht invokes 'equal opportunities' and presents its approach as if it is legally obliged to re-open an existing coffeeshop position. However, the municipality selectively applies the legal framework.
2 February 2026
In the recent past, hospitality entrepreneurs received invoices from the Horeca Ontwikkel Platform (HOP) (Hospitality Development Platform). The invoices were unexpected for many entrepreneurs, immediately raising questions about their origin, the obligation, and the manner in which this had been implemented across the sector.
2 February 2026
Following the publication of the coalition agreement, one thing is painfully clear: we are politically stuck in the cannabis file.
1 July 2026
An entrepreneur sometimes spends decades building a business. What happens if temporary permits make the transferability of a business uncertain? The Bond van Cannabis Detaillisten (Association of Cannabis Retailers) wrote to the House of Representatives about this.
1 September 2025
This week, the Verbond voor Opheffing van het Cannabisverbod (VOC) (Association for the Abolition of the Cannabis Ban) foundation sent posters from the 'What is Dutch Hash?' campaign to all coffeeshops participating in the cannabis experiment. The eponymous website had already been online for a while.
25 juni 2025
(25 juni 2025) UK CANNABIS — Associated Press rapportage over de groei van medicinale cannabis in het Verenigd Koninkrijk, met bijdragen van onder andere James Smith (4C Labs), professor Jim Mills (University of Strathclyde), Pierre van Weperen (GROW Group) en Simone van Breda (Bond van Cannabis Detaillisten).
7 April 2025
Today, 7 April 2025, the experimental phase of the Dutch cannabis experiment officially commenced. This experiment aims to determine whether a fully closed and regulated supply chain – from grower to coffeeshop – is feasible and can contribute to solving the structural problems of the current 'tolerance policy' (gedoogbeleid).
7 April 2025
On 7 April 2025, the experimental phase of the Dutch cannabis experiment officially commenced.
31 March 2025 · 7 minutes min read
More and more countries are moving towards the regulation of recreational cannabis. In the Netherlands, there is talk of legalisation and the experiment.
26 June 2025
The Tweede Kamer (House of Representatives) has officially declared the cannabis experiment controversial. This means that the current cabinet will no longer make political decisions on this matter. The planned debate on 3 July will therefore also not take place. More importantly: this also means the experiment cannot be aborted. A caretaker cabinet is not permitted to initiate a change of course or halt the experiment. This offers protection and time.
26 June 2025
On 29 October 2025, the Netherlands will once again go to the polls. For the coffeeshop sector, these elections are important.
22 January 2025 · 7 minutes min read
The baseline measurement of the 'experiment gesloten coffeeshopketen' (closed coffeeshop chain experiment) was recently presented. A baseline measurement with important insights.
21 July 2025
On 29 October 2025, the Netherlands will once again go to the polls. For the coffeeshop sector, these elections are more important than ever. The new cabinet will decide on future coffeeshop policy. They will be responsible for evaluating the Experiment gesloten coffeeshopketen (Experiment into a Closed Coffeeshop Chain) and will, based on this, determine whether the Netherlands truly opts for national regulation or not.
21 July 2025
On 29 October 2025, the Netherlands will go to the polls again. These elections are crucial for the coffeeshop sector.
17 March 2025
The cabinet is adhering to the planned start date of 7 April 2025 for the closed coffeeshop chain experiment. Despite ongoing concerns from coffeeshop owners, cultivators, and local administrators, State Secretary Ingrid Coenradi acknowledges that the situation is “very tense” and that “teething problems are unavoidable”.
17 March 2025
The cabinet is holding firm on the planned start date of 7 April 2025 for the closed coffeeshop chain experiment.
13 March 2025
Entrepreneurs still lack clarity regarding the 7 April start date. In recent weeks, the House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer) has once again deliberated on the experiment with the closed coffeeshop chain, with the central question being whether the 7 April start date remains feasible.
13 March 2025
The House of Representatives has once again discussed the experiment with the closed coffeeshop chain.
12 June 2025
On 5 June 2025, the EU Drugs Agency (EUDA) published its annual European Drug Report. The report contains data up to the end of 2024 and confirms: cannabis remains the most commonly used illicit drug in Europe.
10 October 2025
The Trimbos-instituut (Trimbos Institute) recently published the results of a clarification session on problematic cannabis use, commissioned by the Nationaal Rapporteur Verslavingen (National Rapporteur on Addiction). The report is based on national figures from the Nationale Drug Monitor (NDM) (National Drug Monitor), the LADIS-register (Landelijk Alcohol- en Drugs Informatie Systeem) (National Alcohol and Drug Information System) and discussions with experts from healthcare, prevention, and policy.
9 October 2025 · 6 minutes min read
After fifty years of coffeeshop policy, we know that regulated sales work. Yet, parties continue to hide behind research.
4 February 2025 · 6 minutes min read
In 2019, my mother passed away from the effects of a brain tumour. That personal loss was the catalyst for my work in this field.
11 December 2024
The experimental phase of the Closed Coffeeshop Chain Experiment (cannabis experiment) will commence on 7 April 2025. From this date onwards, coffeeshops in the ten participating municipalities will only be permitted to sell regulated cannabis products.
11 December 2024
The experimental phase of the Closed Coffeeshop Chain Experiment will commence on 7 April 2025.
6 November 2024
The Closed Coffeeshop Chain Experiment aims to regulate the production and sale of cannabis and hashish in coffeeshops.
18 september 2024
Webinar (18 september 2024) over het Nederlandse Pilot Programma. Sprekers: Jaap Erkelens (CEO Bedrocan), Simone van Breda (voorzitter Bond van Cannabis Detaillisten) en Orville Bovenschen (President Leli Holland, Village Farms International).
25 April 2024
While there is a call for cannabis legalisation within Europe, this noble ambition seems further away in reality than imagined.
21 June 2024
The Dutch government has published an important update regarding the closed coffeeshop chain experiment.
17 May 2024
The coalition agreement, concluded by PVV, VVD, NSC, and BBB, may contain few words about coffeeshop policy, but its impact is significant.
14 May 2024
There is a lot of confusion and misinformation in the media regarding the status of cannabis regulation in Germany.
5 August 2024
In a recent letter to the House of Representatives (Tweede Kamer), the Dutch government shared important information.
Video
Bijdrage aan Lunchcafé Oranje.
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Optreden tijdens GreenTech 2024.
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Bijdrage aan de High Cloud Podcast.
Video
Met gastheren Joeri Perneel en Karel Michiels duiken we samen met Simone Van Breda in legalisatie in Europa, recente inbeslagnames door de politie, het Nederlandse experiment en gedoogbeleid, en de situatie van coffeeshops tijdens de coronacrisis.
Video
🗓️ Dinsdag 26 augustus 2025 · 19:00–20:00 CET · 🌍 Engels. Panel met cannabisleiders uit Europa, Noord-Amerika en Afrika over het veranderende landschap van cannabisbeleid en -business in de EU. Moderator: Trenton Birch (Cheeba Cannabis & Hemp Academy). Sprekers: Kai-Friedrich Niermann (KFN+ Law Office), Heidi Whitman (EmpowHer / Verdant Strategies), Simone van Breda (Union of Coffeeshop Retailers), Deepak Anand (ASDA Consultancy Services) en Ben Arn (CB Company).
Video
In februari 2025 informeerde een collegebericht de gemeenteraad over het feit dat het college het beleid rond schaarse vergunningen wil toepassen op coffeeshops in Amersfoort. Gedoogverklaringen gelden voortaan maximaal 7 jaar. Bestaande ondernemers krijgen éénmalig een overgangsvergunning. Na afloop wordt iedere gegadigde via een open selectieprocedure in de gelegenheid gesteld om een vrijgekomen vergunning aan te vragen. Zowel vanuit de gemeente als de Bond van Cannabis Detaillisten wordt een presentatie gegeven over de argumenten voor en tegen het toepassen van het stelsel voor schaarse vergunningen op coffeeshops.
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