Amsterdam 'to ban' drug tourism

rks0 · Post by **rks0** » Thu 10th Sep 2009 05:27 pm

Foreigners heading to Amsterdam's famous marijuana cafés will soon will be banned from buying cannabis in a bid to end drug tourism to the Netherlands.

"Coffee shops" where small amounts of cannabis have been legally bought and smoked since 1976, have become a major industry and a popular tourist attraction in Dutch cities.

But the Dutch cabinet is expected on Friday to introduce measures to prevent tourists buying or smoking marijuana as part of a major overhaul of the country's "gedoogbeleid" or tolerance policy on soft drugs.

The Dutch ministers of justice, home affairs and health will table proposals for legislation to keep foreigners out of the country's cannabis selling cafés in order to reduce crime and social nuisances.

Under the proposals, "coffee shops", that are licensed to sell marijuana, will have to introduce a members-only pass system to keep non-local or non-Dutch cannabis smokers from buying drugs.

"Coffee shops should again become what they were originally meant to be: vending points for local users and not large-scale suppliers to consumers from neighbouring countries," concluded a government commission in July.

"The situation has got out of hand."

One of the biggest problems caused by drug tourism is the influx of foreign tourists, including many young Britons, who come to Netherlands to smoke and consume cannabis that is illegal in their home countries.

The problem is especially acute in Dutch border towns and cities that lie close to Belgium, France and Germany.

Turnover of the legal "coffee shop" trade is estimated to be at least £1.6 billion every year.

New restrictions are also expected to reduce the amount of cannabis that can be bought over the counter, from five to three grams.

Raymond Dufour, of the Netherlands Drug Policy Foundation, is opposed to the new restrictions which, he argued, will be challenged in the European Union courts.

"We have a problem with European law here, as all European citizens should be treated equally," he told Radio Netherlands.

"It also won't solve the problems in a city like Amsterdam. Many tourists buy their cannabis in coffee shops there. If they can't buy it anymore, the sale will go underground as in many other cities in the world."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... urism.html

Kingdoc · Post by **Kingdoc** » Thu 10th Sep 2009 10:25 pm

Turnover of the legal "coffee shop" trade is estimated to be at least £1.6 billion every year.

New restrictions are also expected to reduce the amount of cannabis that can be bought over the counter, from five to three grams

What did i tell everyone! they have been wanting to cut the number of grams people are buying,They may not have an outright ban but they are gona change some stuff like.

seanlyall · Post by **seanlyall** » Thu 10th Sep 2009 10:51 pm

Not cool! When would this come into force?

doobydave · Post by **doobydave** » Thu 10th Sep 2009 11:38 pm

Go on then, Netherlands

I dare you!

cantona7 · Post by **cantona7** » Fri 11th Sep 2009 12:32 am

im going to be so mad/sad if this goes through. i dont think it would though. they would lose alot of tourism..esp in the 18-35 age range. and alot of money going to their local economy.

DRcronic · Post by **DRcronic** » Fri 11th Sep 2009 01:20 pm

if they had a pass system i recon coffee shops would ignore it like they do the smoking bans, as for the bars that allow people to smoke ganja they would become over crowed and probs work with a few of the coffeshops to even have illegal house dealers. having a tourist smoking ban in Amsterdam would be too outrageous.

tastywaves · Post by **tastywaves** » Fri 11th Sep 2009 01:57 pm

Money normally talks and with the tough economy around the world if they did pass it i don't think it would either last long before being changed or the coffeeshops would just ignore the law. I'm hoping i'm somewhat right< crossing my finger and toes under the computer desk. Damn.
Peace

Kingdoc · Post by **Kingdoc** » Fri 11th Sep 2009 02:27 pm

tastywaves wrote:Money normally talks and with the tough economy around the world if they did pass it i don't think it would either last long before being changed or the coffeeshops would just ignore the law. I'm hoping i'm somewhat right< crossing my finger and toes under the computer desk. Damn.
Peace

Yea i think its safe to say they have everyones attention.

1tonTomato · Post by **1tonTomato** » Fri 11th Sep 2009 02:51 pm

tastywaves wrote:Money normally talks and with the tough economy around the world if they did pass it i don't think it would either last long before being changed or the coffeeshops would just ignore the law. I'm hoping i'm somewhat right< crossing my finger and toes under the computer desk. Damn.
Peace

TW, u live in palm bay, what would FL be with out tourist dollars? Think they'll close Disney World b/c of all the traffic tourist cause on international drive?

sh@dy · Post by **sh@dy** » Fri 11th Sep 2009 05:20 pm

so, how can this work with the EU having a rule saying, no EU citizen can be stopped from buying anything in a shop from any country? I dont understand this

hippy_man99 · Post by **hippy_man99** » Sat 12th Sep 2009 06:29 am

how does the Telegraph get away with saying "Foreigners heading to Amsterdam's famous marijuana cafés will soon will be banned from buying cannabis in a bid to end drug tourism to the Netherlands." Without the actual meeting happening...

without any decisions made, without any actual evidence of a ban..... anyone ever heard of Truth in journalism???

no... I thought not....

murphyscafe · Post by **murphyscafe** » Sat 12th Sep 2009 06:43 am

hippy_man99 wrote:how does the Telegraph get away with saying "Foreigners heading to Amsterdam's famous marijuana cafés will soon will be banned from buying cannabis in a bid to end drug tourism to the Netherlands." Without the actual meeting happening...

without any decisions made, without any actual evidence of a ban..... anyone ever heard of Truth in journalism???

no... I thought not....

properganda is Y!!

the uk gov wont let the major "entertainment " newspapers print ANY positive reports on cannabis due to there upgrade in the drugs classification!! this i know to b true( as i work in the media industry!). its all kept negative to keep everyone against it!

hippy_man99 · Post by **hippy_man99** » Sat 12th Sep 2009 06:48 am

murphyscafe wrote: properganda is Y!!

the uk gov wont let the major "entertainment " newspapers print ANY positive reports on cannabis due to there upgrade in the drugs classification!! this i know to b true( as i work in the media industry!). its all kept negative to keep everyone against it!

wow.... remind me never to trust british media again....

Kingdoc · Post by **Kingdoc** » Sat 12th Sep 2009 10:38 am

sh@dy wrote:so, how can this work with the EU having a rule saying, no EU citizen can be stopped from buying anything in a shop from any country? I dont understand this

& people wonder why we dont want in on this NWO bullshit.

sh@dy · Post by **sh@dy** » Sat 12th Sep 2009 11:22 am

Kingdoc wrote:
sh@dy wrote:so, how can this work with the EU having a rule saying, no EU citizen can be stopped from buying anything in a shop from any country? I dont understand this

& people wonder why we dont want in on this NWO bullshit.

sorry, I didnt get your post. what about the new world order?