Maastricht ban

[spidergawd]

Bad tidings boys and girls, but I posted in case anyone is heading that way.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15134669

But not for German and Belgians, which is odd because they must be 95% of the "drug tourists" in that part of the Netherlands. Ho hum .

[Con-er-sir]

This has got to be thrown out as there is no equality in their ban. I have been maastrict many times and it's mainly belgiums who use the coffee shops, I have never seen another English person there so the ban won't really affect trade. Still, I'm very shocked this has actually happened, bad times! Where next?

[john quays]

I had gathered that the Maastricht coffeeshop association had brought this ban in themselves, the idea being that discrimination based on nationality would be shown to be unworkable. Perhaps they also wanted to be seen to be doing something repressive in nature, given the current political climate.

The BBC article seems to be suggesting the city council brought this ban in. I wonder whether the journalist isn't confusing the story with the one from a year or so ago where Europe said it probably wasn't illegal to discriminate based on nationality in the case of the sale of marijuana, it being only a tolerated product. This policy of not selling to foreigners had long been on the books in Maastricht but never (I think) actually applied.

As for the nationalities: whether it's 95% I don't know, but the massive majority of foreign visitors to Maastricht are German and Belgian. So this won't have much effect on 'drugs tourism' as the plan stands.

Still, not good news. The flow going the wrong way.

[spidergawd]

Yes well it's got the look of a non-story about it, or the reporter was blazed .

Have to see what happens.

[A Leprechaun]

Another non story.

[MOFOFUNK]

I'm getting evermore worried about this situation. I got my stag do in Am'dam towards back end of March next year; I'd better still be able to get blazed!

[darkglobe]

The ban began on the 1st October...only Dutch,German and French passport holders allowed in and 3 coffee shops moving to outskirts of town,followed by 4 more later - http://www.medindia.net/news/Three-Cann ... 1290-1.htm
Ryanair won't like this...i bet half of their passengers only go there to smoke...

[Chrisuperfly]

Yes this is real, a friend of mine was turned away last weekend with an American Passport.

[Spacefunk]

This is absolutely retarded. If the idea is to curb drug tourism, then why ban everyone EXCEPT the ones that are causing the drug tourism? People don't fly in from the UK or the States to go to Maastricht (or not very many, at least) - they go to Amsterdam.

Note to anyone that is thinking about how this may affect them: the tourist smoking ban, wherever it may be implemented (now, or in the future) is on the basis of residence, not nationality. The grounds by which tourists can be forbidden to buy from coffeeshops rely on their residing in another country - discriminating based on nationality in such a case is illegal. So if you have any passport and have proof of residence in the Netherlands, Belgium or Germany, you're stilll allowed in.

[pazcat]

So if I got this right, From 2013 I would still be welcome so to speak as long as I have my Belgian residence card even though I'm not a native Belgian? That's a releif, still seems completely stupid but hey-ho, it's not to far away to spend a weekend.

[firesmoka]

Maastricht ... is over for me !
i use to buy & fly in maas ( 2 hours from home ) Easy Going , Kosbor , Smoky ....
nvm ,i'll come in Breda ...

[xxbkrawkxx]

frikkin Drugrunners EVERYWHERE now

[A Leprechaun]

Tis quite simple just don't go, an internet campaign along the lines of Boycott Maastricht.

Amsterdam and other areas will benefit,but then again why discriminate against certain nationalities,there must be another agenda at play?.Is it that the politicos who are German or Belgian have an easier time buying their weed there?

[rizzlablu]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55pRYqjsswM

[Chrisuperfly]

Maastricht ... is over for me !
i use to buy & fly in maas ( 2 hours from home ) Easy Going , Kosbor , Smoky ....
nvm ,i'll come in Breda ...

My feelings as well, its a shame, only a 2 hour drive from Frankfurt. Great place to stop for lunch on the way to Amsterdam or points elsewhere.