Amsterdam Reverses Tourist Coffeeshop Ban
The policy reversal came faster than expected. Just weeks after Amsterdam floated a ban on cannabis sales to tourists, the proposal is now off the table. On June 3, 2026, the new city government rejected the so-called ingezetenencriterium (residency requirement). Foreign visitors remain free to shop at the city’s roughly 166 coffeeshops.
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Back in April, we reported on the looming return of the tourist coffeeshop ban. Weeks later, the situation has changed dramatically. The political winds in the Dutch capital have shifted, and the industry can breathe easier.
What the Residency Requirement Would Have Done
The ingezetenencriterium would have restricted cannabis sales to residents with a Dutch address. Tourists from abroad would have been excluded from legal purchases. The idea has circulated in Amsterdam since 2021. Mayor Femke Halsema repeatedly backed it, but wanted a city council majority behind her before implementation.
Several southern border cities in the Netherlands have applied such a residency requirement for years. Maastricht and other municipalities near the Belgian and German borders introduced it to curb drug tourism. For a metropolis like Amsterdam, a comparable step remained on the table for years but remained politically controversial.
Why the New Coalition Changed Course
The decision against the ban came during the formation of the new government. It’s backed by a coalition of PRO Amsterdam—an alliance of Social Democrats and Greens—plus the liberal D66 party. This coalition followed arguments from the coffeeshop industry that a tourist ban wouldn’t eliminate demand but merely displace it.
Studies suggest that roughly one-quarter of foreign visitors would turn to the black market if a ban were implemented. This same pattern appears elsewhere in Europe, such as when organized criminal networks fill gaps in legal supply. How persistent illegal trade remains even in regulated markets was recently shown by a discovered Europe-wide smuggling operation. Ultimately, the city’s concern that a ban would strengthen street dealers and weaken market control outweighed other considerations.
Tourists Still Pay More
Foreign visitors aren’t getting off entirely unscathed. Instead of a sales ban, Amsterdam is targeting the wallet. The overnight tourist tax will rise from 12.5 to 16 percent of room rates next year and is expected to eventually climb to 20 percent. This comfortably positions the city at the top of Europe. Those visiting Amsterdam will continue to have access to coffeeshops, but will pay noticeably more for accommodation.
The step fits a line Amsterdam has pursued for years. The city wants to dampen mass tourism without abandoning the liberal drug policy for which it’s internationally known. Earlier reforms also moved in this direction, such as state-controlled cultivation for coffeeshops as part of the national pilot program.
What This Means From a German Perspective
For German readers, Amsterdam is more than just a travel destination. The Dutch coffeeshop model has served for decades as a reference point in Germany’s legalization debate, sometimes as a model, sometimes as a cautionary tale. This latest reversal shows how closely supply through legal channels and black market pressure are interconnected. This same calculation is now occupying German policymakers, while the second-pillar pilot projects continue to be delayed.
Those wanting to understand the roots of this culture will find the necessary background in our history of Dutch coffeeshop culture. It clarifies why a tourist ban in Amsterdam would have always meant breaking with decades of tradition. For now, that tradition remains intact, albeit at higher accommodation prices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can tourists still legally buy cannabis in Amsterdam in 2026?
Yes. The new city government rejected the planned sales ban for non-residents on June 3, 2026. Foreign visitors continue to be allowed to shop at the city’s roughly 166 coffeeshops.
What is the ingezetenencriterium?
The ingezetenencriterium is a residency requirement that restricts cannabis sales to people with a Dutch address. It’s already in place in several southern border cities, but Amsterdam has now decided not to implement it.
Why did Amsterdam reject the tourist ban?
The coalition feared that a ban wouldn’t reduce demand but would merely shift it to the black market. Estimates suggest approximately one-quarter of tourists would have turned to street dealers.
What changes instead for visitors?
Rather than a ban, Amsterdam is raising the overnight tourist tax. It will increase from 12.5 to 16 percent next year and is slated to eventually reach up to 20 percent—the highest rate in Europe.
Does this openness apply to all Dutch cities?
No. Several southern border cities such as Maastricht continue to maintain the residency requirement. The Amsterdam decision currently affects only the capital and its coffeeshops.
Sollten Touristen in Amsterdam weiterhin Zugang zu Coffeeshops haben?
Source: High Times (reporting from June 3, 2026, on the Amsterdam coalition’s decision against the ingezetenencriterium).
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