RLD smoking ban

[courtjester]

The act of walking through the RLD while smoking isn't of great appeal, personally. The coffeeshops are sufficient.

But the act of walking through the RLD after 1 a.m., rather than walking around it because of some arbitrary protocol prohibiting any additional pedestrian traffic after that hour, certainly is.

Also, at what hour may we resume traipsing through the RLD, praytell?

Inane.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-64591394

[Waldo Swan]

Although I didn't experience Amsterdam in its halcyon days of the twentieth century, I'm really grateful I got to experience the Dam many times during the first twenty years of this one. The times they are a changin'.

[bedge]

High All
I saw this news report and cant understand it! It has been illegal to smoke cannabis in public in Amsterdam at least since 1995. I think the law change refers to the alcohol sale rule change and the curfew on entering the RLD after 1am.
And they are going to enforce the cannabis rule already in place!?
Best wishes
bedge

[esinen]

also read that if they cant enforce the public smoking in the old town they would stop coffeeshop terraces..

sounds like there trying to discourage the stag/hen parties at the weekends. hence them having to hide and stop sales after 4pm on weekends. and by closing places slightly earlier..
and personally i think the atmosphere in the RLD changes at a certain time for the worse.
and how would that work if u got a hotel on the main street..do u get a RLD pass so u can enter whenever?

[la2019]

I suspect that the real impact this law is intended to have is the message it sends ahead of the full fledged "stay away" campaign...they put this out there and media outlets--many writers of which had no idea that public cannabis consumption was already forbidden--just pick it up and run with it. I've seen headlines that are taking this to mean that Amsterdam has made a fundamental policy shift; almost like they never understood how it worked in the first place. I'll bet most writers breathlessly scooping Amsterdam's demise don't know about the grey area policy of "illegal but tolerated." Actually, even if they do, a story about a nuanced policy tweak just doesn't get clicks... Either way, that's the kind of international press the mayor wants right now. And if enough of it gets around, people considering a stag do may make other plans...maybe that's the thinking at any rate. A performative gesture I guess masquerading as something real. I'll even bet that the 1am thing is...less-than-real. I could be totally wrong, but how could they enforce it? I mean, sure it's possible but the effort...well it would be mighty expensive; at least to keep up for more than an introductory display period.
But I guess we'll see in May!

[Raoul_Duke]

I was about to share a similar article.

Actually prefer blazing walking around RLD and other districts in the city centre than most coffeeshops tbf. I doubt it will be much change to how it is now.

If you are a group of lads making a lot of noise, blazing in the street you might have a problem but if you are solo or just with a mate or two I doubt you will be approached.

I've blazed on the streets of London, Antwerp, Rotterdam, Hamburg etc without any issue but I'm also not causing a nuisance when I do.