Dutch Cannabis Policy Phase Four: Municipal Experiments and Local Rules (2010s)

By the 2010s, cannabis policy in the Netherlands was marked by fragmentation. Municipalities gained more control over enforcement, leading to regional differences. Some cities pursued strict anti-nuisance policies, while others maintained a lighter touch.

A major issue remained the "back door problem": coffeeshops could sell cannabis legally at the counter, but had no legal way to source their supply. This contradiction left cultivation in a grey zone, dominated by small-scale growers who risked raids and prosecution.

The national government launched pilot programs for regulated cannabis production, intended to test a closed supply chain. These "wietexperimenten" were slow to roll out, but represented the first official acknowledgment that the back door problem had to be solved. Meanwhile, the number of coffeeshops continued to decline, and rules around advertising, visibility, and sales to tourists tightened further.

Sources & Further Reading
- Dutch government pilot project documents
- Trimbos Institute analysis
- NOS news reports