Is It Possible To Open A New [cannabis] Coffee Shop In The Netherlands?
I know that since last year, all coffee shops within 250 metres of a school have closed. However, is it possible to obtain a new license for one that is not within this distance?
Willeke is right. New licences are not being issued. Existing licences are non-transferable or re-issuable, and the supply chain (illegal) is not something that is easy to enter for obvious reasons. This is irrespective of the 250m area zone, and applicable for the whole of Amsterdam.
Another point to add is the immigration issue, and assuming you are none EU (American I think as I remember a previous question), then you would also have to have to have a visa to move here legally using the self-employed visa option.
However a cafe/restaurant (cafe or coffeeshop it doesn’t matter) would not allow you to get this visa as “Hotels, restaurants, and bars are not an essential interest to the Dutch economy”. You can read more on the official Dutch immigration site here p19 http://www.ind.nl/nl/Images/VIN_ENG_0806… and by following the wizard here http://www.ind.nl/EN/verblijfwijzer/verb…
by bl? bl?
on 22. Jan, 2010
No.
The cities all think there are too many coffee shops already and no city will give out new licenses.
Besides, the supply chain is still illegal and those people will only support their own candidates, so even when there is an opportunity, it is very unlikely that you can use it.
by Willeke
on 22. Jan, 2010