New addition to opium law list 1A
Why the new NPS law?
The government introduced the NPS Act because the traditional list approach no longer proved adequate to curb the rapid rise of new psychoactive substances ("legal highs" or "designer drugs"). Instead of putting each individual substance on the Opium List, from 1 July 2025 the Netherlands is adopting a broad, generic definition that puts entire groups of chemically related substances directly under the ban.
The main objectives of this legislation are:
Prevention and public health
By banning in one fell swoop groups of substances with similar chemical structures - think phenethylamines, cathinones and benzofurane analogues - the government wants to reduce the supply and use of potentially dangerous new agents. This is a preventive measure: do not wait for damage cases, but prevent such substances from coming into circulation.Being ready before the producer
Manufacturers of designer drugs adjust their molecules ever so slightly to remain just barely legal. With the generic approach, it is impossible to successfully play those "cat-and-mouse games" anymore: any new variant within the defined substance groups falls immediately under prohibition.International pressure and harmonisation
The Netherlands was known as a free port for NPS producers, who exported their substances from here to countries where they were already illegal. Pressure from Europe and from the police and prosecution made it clear that a generic approach was needed. This way, our policy is in line with that of other member states and cross-border trafficking can be combated more effectively.More effective action against trafficking and production
Police and investigating authorities can now act more quickly against both imports and local production, without waiting for separate risk assessments per substance. This speeds up criminal prosecution and reduces red tape.
In short, the NPS Act no longer focuses on individual chemical names, but on the underlying structures. In doing so, the government aims to stay ahead of new psychoactive substances, protect public health and make the Dutch market impossible as a base for designer drug exports.
MDMA analogues banned from 1 July 2025
From 1 July 2025 falls under the new, generic IA list of the Opium Act not only MDMA and its immediate close relatives, but also all of the following, phenylethylaminen, cathinones and benzofurans. This will permanently ban the following substances, among others:
Phenylethylamines
3-FPM (3-fluorene metrazine)
2C-D (2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylphenethylamine)
2C-E (2,5-dimethoxy-4-ethylphenethylamine)
2C-C (2,5-dimethoxy-4-chlorphenethylamine)
2C-G (2,5-dimethoxy-3,4-dimethylphenethylamine)
2C-E-NBOMe (N-(2-metoxybenzyl)-2C-E)
2C-B-FLY (2,3,6,7-tetrahydro-benzofuran-4-yl-2,5-dimethoxyphenethylamine)
BK-2C-B (β-keto-2C-B)
BOH-2C-B (β-hydroxy-2C-B)
Methallylescalin (3,4,5-trimethoxy-2-methallylphenethylamine)
4-BMC (4-bromomethcathinone)
4-MPM (4-methylphenmetrazine)
4B-MAR (4-bromo-2,5-dimethoxyaminorex)
Cathinones
2-MMC (2-methylmethcathinone)
NEP (N-ethylpentedron)
MDPHP (3,4-methylenedioxy-α-pyrrolidin-hexanone)
3FMC (3-fluoromethcathinone)
3MMA (3-methylmethcathinone)
MDPiHP (3,4-methylenedioxy-α-pyrrolidin-isopentyl-on)
α-BPVP (α-pyrrolidinobutyrophenone)
MF-PVP (4′-fluoro-α-pyrrolidinovalerophenone)
Benzofurans
6-APB (6-(2-aminopropyl)benzo[f]uranium)
- 6-API (2-Aminoethyl)benzofuran)
- 5-APB (5- (2-Aminopropyl) benzofuran)
5-MAPB (5-(2-aminopropyl)benzo[d][1,3]dioxole)
5-DBFPV (5-(2,3-dihydrobenzofuran-5-yl)-2-pyrrolidin-1-ylpentan-2-one)
- 5-MBPB (5-Methyl-1-benzofuran-5-yl-N-methylbutan-2-amine)
What if you still own the substances after 1 July?
If you bought these MDMA analogues before 1 July 2025 and still keep it in possession, you are liable to punishment. However, using it is not punishable, so in theory, when the night begins of 1 July, you have to take all your supply to avoid breaking the law. Obviously, the joke of such a transitional arrangement and the law, but you really need to not "consume" everything in one night to stay legal.
What you can do:
Submit at the police or a government-approved drug waste collection point.
Destruction via a chemical waste processor (e.g. LCRs or municipal collection days).
Destruction at home (for small quantities): mix with insoluble, unusable material (e.g. coffee grounds), put it in a tightly sealed container and throw it in the residual waste - never down the sink or toilet.
MDMA therapy with own MDMA or analogue
If you do become in possession of these substances at your own risk after 1 July and want to use them on your own initiative, we can support you with a supervised session. According to the Guideline for Criminal Procedure Opium Act, hard drugs (2019R011), the Public Prosecutor's Office considers a quantity of up to 0.5 grams (or one pill) to be 'small quantity' for personal use. Such quantities are usually seized but hardly lead to prosecution. However, for larger supplies, you should consider criminal disposal.
We do not turn away clients who choose to bring up to 500 mg of their own MDMA or an analogue to a session. We do this to limit the risks for users (harm-reduction). During the guided session, we act as a trip sitter: we offer professional support and help you with safety, without being responsible for the origin or quality of the substance. We do ask that all substances are tested beforehand and that you clearly indicate that it is your own initiative and that the substances are yours, so that the role of the facilitator remains pure and legal.
Contact or intake
Would you like to sign up for a psychedelic ceremony at Triptherapie? Fill in the free intake now. Do you have any questions? Then go through our FAQ section or contact us.
General FAQ
Should you be looking for another question and answer? You can then also choose to use the search function on our site, consult the frequently asked questions section or ask our chatbot Trippy which you can access via the chat icon at the bottom right of the page.
Recent Q&A questions
NPS law and MDMA analogues
Which analogues of MDMA will become illegal from 1 July 2025 with the entry into force of the amended opium law?
Psychedelic therapists
Which of the therapists at Triptherapie are trained psychologists and the like?
Truffle ceremony with psilocybin
Approximately how many truffles or mg of psilocybin do you get at magic truffle ceremonies?
Which psychedelic therapy?
What psychedelics do you use in psychedelic therapy and the ceremonies?
Psychedelic retreats
I am coming from abroad and want to attend a psychedelic retreat. What should I consider when organising my trip?
