The Dutch cannabis supply chain experiment gets additional time for the transition phase, from 6 weeks to 3 months. Starting from June 17, coffee shops in the participating municipality will be allowed to sell both tolerated and regulated products. Lawmakers expect that time to be enough to optimize the whole chain.
On December 15, 2023, the Closed Coffee Shop Chain Experiment officially started.
Start of the experimental phase
Coffee shop owners find it very important that multiple growers are ready to deliver, ensuring that the supply comes from a sufficiently diverse range of growers. If the supply is insufficient at the start of the experimental phase, the risk of illicit trade increases. That's why the transition phase got extended. The start of the experimental phase is scheduled for September 16, 2024.
First experiences
The regulated cannabis is generally well-received by the customers of coffee shops in Tilburg and Breda. So far, the run-up phase has proven useful for collecting issues coffee shop owners, growers, and regulators encounter. For instance, the first user experiences with the track & trace system are taken into account in improving the system and in educating future users. The insights gained during the run-up phase in Breda and Tilburg are shared with all participating municipalities. This way, the start of the transition phase can proceed as smoothly as possible.
From the first experiences, it has been found that the limitation of a maximum of 500 grams of regulated cannabis in coffee shops is not practically feasible. After consultation with the involved parties, it was decided that mayors could increase the maximum stock in the coffee shops for regulated cannabis to a week's supply.