Buying cannabis in a Dutch coffeeshop is tolerated, not legal. The national toleration policy sets the conditions every coffeeshop must meet, and since 2013 it also contains a residence criterion — often called the "wietpas" rule — that decides whether a tourist can buy at all.
The national conditions
According to the Government of the Netherlands, a coffeeshop:
- may not cause nuisance and may not sell hard drugs;
- may not sell to minors — buyers must be 18 or older;
- may not advertise drugs;
- may not sell more than 5 grams of cannabis in a single transaction.
The residence criterion ("wietpas")
Since 1 January 2013 only residents of the Netherlands — people living in and registered with a Dutch municipality — are permitted to visit coffeeshops and buy cannabis there. Coffeeshop owners must check that everyone they admit is a resident aged 18 or older.
Whether this rule is enforced differs from municipality to municipality. Each municipality decides whether it allows coffeeshops, how many, and which extra rules apply. That is why a tourist may be admitted in one city and turned away at the door in another.
What it means for a visitor
- Bring an original, valid ID — you will be asked for it.
- Expect the 5-gram limit per purchase everywhere.
- Before you travel to a specific city, check that city's page on 420.camp: it shows whether the residence criterion applies there, where that is known, with its source.
- Smoking rules in public are set locally and differ between cities and even districts.
This article is information, not legal advice; check the official source below before acting on it.
