Leiden coffeeshop De Eerste Kamer shut for three months over drug law breaches

On 7 August 2026, the coffee shop De Eerste Kamer on Steenstraat in Leiden was ordered to close for three months after a municipal inspection in May 2026 uncovered several violations of the Dutch tolerance policy for cannabis.

The violations included holding more than the permitted 500 g of soft‑drugs, possession of hard‑drug edibles, the absence of a required on‑site manager, and illegal advertising on product packaging and social‑media channels. Mayor Peter Heijkoop imposed the closure under the Opium Act, and a court upheld the measure, noting the shop’s previous non‑compliance and the need to protect public order.