The age limit is 18
In the Netherlands the age limit for a coffeeshop is 18. If you are younger, you cannot come in and nothing may be sold to you. That is the J in the Dutch abbreviation of the tolerance criteria.
Not even when accompanied
Minors may not enter a coffeeshop, not even when accompanied. If a friend of yours is 17, he may not go in, not even together with you. Permission from parents does not change that.
Your ID at the door
At the door you show a valid proof of identity: a passport, an identity card or a driving licence. A bank card or a student card is not suitable for that. The check takes place before you are inside.
The 5 gram limit
A coffeeshop may sell no more than 5 grams per person per day. According to the Public Prosecution Service, 5 grams is a quantity for personal use. It is how the government counters dealing in larger quantities. That is the G in the Dutch abbreviation of the tolerance criteria.
Less than 5 grams is not legal
Possession remains prohibited, even if you carry less than 5 grams. With a small quantity the Public Prosecution Service usually does not prosecute you. The police can still confiscate it.
The supply of the coffeeshop
There is also a limit for the coffeeshop itself. A coffeeshop may not keep a supply of more than 500 grams. That is set out in the tolerance criteria of the Public Prosecution Service.
Sources
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