Dutch Government to Ban Tourists From Cannabis Shops | Cannabis Culture Magazine The Dutch government on Friday said it would start banning tourists from buying cannabis from "coffee shops" and impose restrictions on Dutch customers by the end of the year. The Netherlands is well known for having one of Europe's most liberal soft drug policies that has made its cannabis shops a popular tourist attraction, particularly in Amsterdam. Backed by the far-right party of anti-immigrant politician Geert Wilders, the coalition government that came into power last year announced plans to curb drug tourism as mart of a nationwide program to promote health and fight crime. "In order to tackle the nuisance and criminality associated with coffee shops and drug trafficking, the open-door policy of coffee shops will end," the Dutch health and justice ministers wrote in a letter to the country's parliament on Friday. Under the new rules, only Dutch residents will be able to sign up as members of cannabis shops. Dutch customers will have to sign up for at least a year's membership and each shop would be expected to have only up to 1,500 members, a justice ministry spokesman said. The policy will roll out in the southern provinces of Limburg, Noord Brabant and Zeeland by the end of the year and the rest of the country next year, the spokesman said. Amsterdam, home to about 220 coffee shops, is already in the process of closing some in its red light district. Some officials have resisted the measures, saying they will push the soft drug trade underground. Advertisement Some Dutch border towns including Maastricht and Terneuzen have already restricted the sale of marijuana to foreigners. - Article from The Baltimore Sun. Dutch Cabinet Commits to Anti-Marijuana Plan by The Associated Press The Dutch Cabinet says it will push ahead with plans to force anyone wishing to purchase marijuana at the country's weed cafes to first obtain an official pass - a move designed to curtail tourists from buying the drug. Prime Minister Mark Rutte says he plans to begin rolling out the system in the country's south later this year, an area popular with French and German buyers, before moving on to Amsterdam's famed tourist cafes later in his term. Justice Ministry spokesman Wim van der Weegen said Friday the supreme court must still rule on whether foreigners can be blocked entirely. Regardless, he said the plan will prevent cafes from issuing more than 1,500 permits in all, forcing shop owners to choose between tourists and their regular customers. - Article from The Associated Press.
arghhh man. I was planning a trip to amsterdam with a few friends next year. Never mind, let me spread the bad news. Btw, I just shouted "F**k" loudly in anger.
Shooting themselves in the foot. Went there last summer and smoked a shit ton of weed. No way I'm going back if they won't sell me any.
Ever wonder why so many people smile when they say 'back in the day'? Its because everything seems to be getting worse. I don't know if Im the odd man out. But everytime something changes, it is never for the better it seems. shouldn't the world be becoming a better place? Every year prices go up and makes your money less valuable. "back in the day a dime cost a dime" It seems laws have their own form of inflation.
The illusion of progress. Even after marijuana is legalized there will always be people looking to outlaw it in the interests of "public health and safety." We will have to be vigilant against prohibitionists for as long as we are interested in preserving our personal freedoms.
I dunno, this isn't the first time they state something like that. Edit; we can probably expect this to happen in the smaller towns, but in amsterdam I'm sure things will just stay as they are. There are too much money and I bet there are some higher powers in holland who will fight this no matter what. Stupid EU putting pressure on them, of course they have to please EU somehow, but I'm sure most of the actions will just be a play to the gallery.
what a sad day. and what does this mean for the cannabis cup? I always wanted to go to it, but if i can't be a judge and smoke some herb out there, don't even know if i'd still wanna go
Yes, beside we always have christiania in denmark, and due to recent events I don't see them being shut down in the near future.
theyre still closed to the public though right? or did they get the whole issue with the buying of the property straightened out?
When the tourist industry goes to shit over there next summer they are going to be kicking themselves in the ass over this....
No, they actually bought out the whole property. Everything is running as it should again, maybe even safer now than before.
good for them then if i spoke danish i would certainly be traveling there, i still might some day though.
Amsterdam's economy somewhat depends on the cannabis culture; especially the cannabis culture amongst the tourists. You shut that down, there will be a large whole in the pocket.