Is Cannabis / THC legal in Netherlands?
- Legal status
- List II 'soft drug' under the Opium Act — illegal but tolerated (gedoogbeleid)
- Consequences if caught
- In the Netherlands, drug USE itself is not punishable, but possession, production and trade ARE prohibited; the 'tolerance policy' (gedoogbeleid) makes small quantities a low enforcement priority without making them legal. Cannabis/hashish is a List II soft drug: technically illegal but tolerated. Licensed coffeeshops may sell under strict conditions (18+, max 5 g per transaction, no advertising, no alcohol), and personal possession of up to 5 g is given low enforcement priority.
- If prescribed or medical
- Sleeping pills/anxiety medicines on List II may be carried for personal medical use with the proper certificate (see documentation).
- Documentation
- For Schengen travel, carry a Schengen certificate issued via the CAK (valid 30 days, covering up to 4 Schengen countries); for non-Schengen travel, carry an English-language medical certificate (legalised, valid 1 year). Keep medicines in original packaging in your hand luggage.
- Opium Act (Opiumwet), Lists I & II
- government.nl
Drug laws and enforcement change and vary within a country. This is not legal advice. Always confirm with Netherlands’s embassy or official drug authority before traveling; penalties can be severe, including imprisonment.
Before you travel
Verify current rules with the destination country’s official drug authority and your own country’s embassy before traveling. Find the destination’s U.S. embassy & official country guidance →
Non-U.S. travelers: check your own government’s travel advisory and embassy.
If you’re detained or arrested abroad
Contact your own country’s embassy or consulate in the destination immediately — not the destination’s authorities. U.S. citizens: contact the nearest U.S. embassy/consulate and the U.S. State Department at +1-202-501-4444 (from abroad). If a U.S. citizen is arrested or detained abroad →