OK you just have to be resident in the netherlands, is that right?
wiill part time residency still allow me to go to the coffeeshops if the change actually occurs?
Up in smoke! Dutch to ban tourists from buying pot
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SGawain235
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- Joined: Mon 21st Sep 2009 01:06 am
Agreed it is a small direct impact and if the Netherlands was doing super awesome from an economic POV I'd be outright terrified(as opposed to concerned). However, considering that the Netherlands can't expand the police force and is facing shortfalls of 200 million euros in the defense ministry I think that refusing the direct tax contributions is not as much of a "done deal" as some are making it out to be.Marco wrote:Keep in mind these numbersSGawain235 wrote: As it stands the Netherlands makes at least 200 million Euros in taxes from coffeeshops(it has been estimated at 400 millionbut I'm trying to be conservative).
Maybe there are things in Amsterdam that are unbelievably cool that I missed. I'm not so sure, though. Either way, there would have to be a cultural revival of epic proportions to attract enough tourists to generate 200 million Euros in tax revenue.
NL GDP 2009=$794.777 billion, so at 400m euros that is about 0.05% of the Dutch economy.
Did you think you'd get rid of me that easily?
Anyway, to get Dutch citizenship takes five years...you have to have been registered, and employed for that time I believe, and no criminal convictions...either that or an arranged marriage, or a proper marriage to a Dutch national, or maybe Antillian, Surinaams, Aruban... 
Last edited by roker on Thu 18th Nov 2010 06:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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SGawain235
- Posts: 177
- Joined: Mon 21st Sep 2009 01:06 am
Re: Up in smoke! Dutch to ban tourists from buying pot
Puffin13 wrote:Up in smoke! Dutch to ban tourists from buying pot
By Gilbert Kreijger
11-17-2010
The Netherlands' proposed 'coffee shop' restrictions part of crackdown on drug crime
Amsterdam has plans to close some of the 223 'coffee shops' in the red-light district to tackle criminal activity in the area.
The Dutch government said on Wednesday it wanted to ban tourists from buying cannabis in "coffee shops," where hash is on sale legally, as part of a national crackdown on drug use.
The Netherlands has one of Europe's most liberal soft drug policies and its coffee shops are a popular tourist attraction, especially in Amsterdam and border cities near Belgium and Germany.
But some cities near the border with Belgium have clamped down on drug tourism, and the Dutch minister for security and justice confirmed on Wednesday a wider crackdown after coalition parties agreed to push for a ban in September.
The government, which took office last month, has agreed to limit the sale of cannabis to Dutch residents to curb crime linked to its production and trading.
"No tourist attractions. We don't like that," the minister, Ivo Opstelten, told public broadcaster NOS on Wednesday.
"The heart of the problem is crime and disturbances surrounding the sale. We have to go back to what it was meant for: local use for those who would like it."
Amsterdam, home to 223 coffee shops, is already in the process of closing some in the red light district to tackle criminal activity in the area, and was studying the government proposal.
"We are taking the current practice as a starting point. It is not perfect but in many ways we have a functioning coffee shop system," an Amsterdam city spokesman said.
The government's plans for a tourist ban, whereby only holders of a resident's pass would be allowed to buy hash, has not yet been formally put into law and no timeframe has been proposed.
The possession of up to 5 grams (0.18 oz) of cannabis or hash is allowed in the Netherlands but large-scale production and transport is a crime.
Some Dutch border towns such as Maastricht and Terneuzen have already restricted the sale of marijuana to foreigners to limit crime and disturbances such as traffic jams.
The advocate-general of the European Court of Justice advised in July that Maastricht had the right to refuse foreigners entry to its coffee shops, giving support to the Dutch government's nationwide ban if the court followed the advice.
Source
bla bla bla....a lot of politic here...bla bla bla...
Do you know what is really annoying me, nearly every news article i read is claiming that there is allready a tourist ban in maastricht, now i might be wrong but i dont think so, but this is bullsh*t, i have read trip reports and coffee shops reviews about maastricht recently and there is definately tourists in there CS' , i know they tried it but it got took to court, and was lifted while trial took place and was not reinstated. Why dont schmuck journalists just report the facts.
On another note, i just read somewhere (cant post link as im on my mobile phone) that the new proposals amongst others wont be took to parliament until next year, when i dont know and how true this is i also dont know.
On another note, i just read somewhere (cant post link as im on my mobile phone) that the new proposals amongst others wont be took to parliament until next year, when i dont know and how true this is i also dont know.
What is thy bidding my master?