Amendment to MDMA analogues law as of July 1, 2025

New legislation surrounding NPS

An important change in the law will come into effect in the Netherlands from 1 July 2025: the New Psychoactive Substances Act (NPS Act)With these new regulations, the Dutch government is imposing a broad ban on so-called designer drugs, including virtually all known MDMA analogues such as 6-APB, MDA and methylone.

Why is the Netherlands introducing the NPS Act?

The government has chosen to introduce the NPS Act because of the rapid rise and use of new psychoactive substances, which are often sold as 'legal highs' or 'designer drugs'. These substances are deliberately produced to circumvent existing drug legislation by making small chemical adjustments. Because it proved impossible to put each substance separately on the Opium List, the Netherlands has now opted for a broad definition: no longer are only specific substances prohibited, but entire groups of substances that strongly resemble well-known drugs such as MDMA in terms of chemical structure.

The purpose of this legislation is primarily preventive: the government wants to reduce the supply and use of dangerous new substances and protect public health. At the same time, it wants to prevent producers from simply getting away with developing new variants that fall just outside the legislation. Various debates also show that there is pressure from other countries to introduce this legislation, because producers of these substances have had free rein in the Netherlands up until now. This made it easier for them to export these substances to countries where they were already illegal. This international pressure seems to have been even more important for introducing the law, since previous bans, such as the one on MDMA, did not lead to a decrease in use.

Practical implications for users and therapists

This amendment will make the possession, trade and use of MDMA analogues punishable from July 2025, just as it is now for MDMA itself. This will eliminate the alternatives that were previously available through legal or semi-legal routes.

For those interested in therapeutic applications of these substances, this means a significant reduction in legal options. For recreational users, the possibilities for legal alternatives are also severely limited.

The possibilities after July 1, 2025

Fortunately, despite the new legislation, there are still several legal alternatives available for therapeutic use. Natural psychedelics such as psilocybin — the active ingredient in magic truffles — can still be used legally and safely during professionally supervised sessions. In addition, new, slightly modified substances are regularly emerging that fall just outside the new regulations, meaning that they will remain legally available for the time being. Based on the speed at which the market is developing, we expect such new compounds to appear on the gray market within approximately three months of the ban being definitively implemented.

As of July 1, 2025, MDMA and its analogues will still fall under Schedule I of the Opium Act, which means that possession will remain formally punishable. At the same time, the Public Prosecution Service will apply the following measures in the Guideline for criminal prosecution under the Opium Act, hard drugs (2019R011) a 'small quantity' of up to 0.5 grams (or one pill) as an indication of personal use. Quantities up to that level are usually confiscated, but rarely lead to prosecution. Larger quantities will usually result in criminal prosecution.

We are open to clients who choose to bring their own MDMA or an analogue (up to 500 mg per person) during their guided session. The use of your own substances is entirely at your own risk; we act exclusively as a trip sitter and offer professional support without being responsible for the origin or quality of the substance. We do ask that all substances are tested in advance and that the client demonstrably shows his own initiative, without the guide or therapist acting as a supplier.

Our advice

An important legal option within the Netherlands is the use of. Thanks to the many sessions with legal magic truffles in the Netherlands, the evidence is growing that a psilocybin session can have profound therapeutic effects on trauma and PTSD, among other things. Clinical studies show that relatively low doses of psilocybin, under professional supervision, can promote emotional breakthroughs, reduce avoidance behavior, and improve overall quality of life.

Secondly, you can look at other substances that have mild empathogenic properties. While these substances are generally less intense than MDMA, they can be a valuable stepping stone for people who want to test how their system responds to empathy-inducing support.

If you are considering using MDMA or an analogue yourself through non-legal means, be aware of the risks. There is no guarantee of purity, dosage or proper supervision. If you are nevertheless considering a step in that direction, do so with the utmost care: test your substance, choose a safe setting, and ensure that you have an experienced supervisor or therapist. But be aware that with legal alternatives such as psychedelic therapy you can often achieve a surprising amount of effect — without legal or health risks.