Amsterdam Coffeeshop Directory Forums

Why not just up the entry age to say 25 for coffeeshops within the 250m instead?. Or restrict the hours so they are not open for half hour either side of school opening and closing times?.

Hopefully if they do have to close they can relocate instead, seems to have have happened with Old Church?. Are there any known applications for relocations of coffeshops yet seeing as I guess it takes time to sort?.

I know Coffeeshop 36 were thinking about trying to relocate. The manager told me the relocation process would be like a lottery and nobody really knew who would be allowed to relocate. That was a few weeks before they closed down so I'm not sure what their final decision was.

Dave J wrote:Why not just up the entry age to say 25 for coffeeshops within the 250m instead?. Or restrict the hours so they are not open for half hour either side of school opening and closing times?.

Hopefully if they do have to close they can relocate instead, seems to have have happened with Old Church?. Are there any known applications for relocations of coffeshops yet seeing as I guess it takes time to sort?.

I'd go along with Over 21, same for alcohol...
It's not the age (limit) that's at issue, it's the exposure of a certain age group (middle school) to the cannabis scene.
A special invitation to all - find a comfortable place to sit that is approximately 250-350 meters away from a coffee shop, and during school hours. Observe the surroundings; what is seen? what is heard? what is smelled? Remember that there are a couple of hundred days in a school year, suffice it to say that more than one day's observation would provide a better understanding. I for one would not want my grade school aged children exposed to the cannabis scene nearly every day, or any day. I apply the same to establishments that serve alcohol (clubs, bars, etc...) if they posed the same undesirable scene.

I've "heard" rumors that some may try to relocate... time will tell. Maybe some of the former Rokerij locations are available...hmm...
...

I've never noticed a school near a coffeeshop, but of cause that's not to say that there are none otherwise we wouldn't have this situation now. But having been in a number of listed coffeeshops around school closing times it strikes me that the access and route most if not all take to school could in many cases mean none of the pupils would likely pass such coffeeshops. I wander if this could be lines of appeal some might be taking?. I get the exposure point of cause being a parent myself, but if not on the route pupils take to school then they would likely not pass a particular coffeeshop anyway.

Also coffeshops and cannabis sales aside, these are still peoples businesses and peoples jobs and income for the city. So it would be plain wrong to not allow a relocation to another premises.

a part of me thinks that an argument could be made for older pupils to do a few weeks work experience in coffeeshops on the grounds that the cannabis trade is a big, successful business and there is nothing cloggies like better than commerce and the bottom line.

edited because this is acd where conventional thought is king.

If the school is 351 meters away from a coffee shop does that mean they won't be exposed?
It's a stupid law, kids walk to school and probably pass more than one coffee shop on their journey, especially in central Amsterdam.
The only way to stop dutch kids being to exposed to coffee shops is to close them all.
According to their own statistics, the dutch youth use weed less than other countries where it's not tolerated.
Does walking past bars make kids drink, or walking past doughnut shops make them fat, or walking past red light windows make them prostitutes?
It's a dumb law that won't change anything, other than for the owners and workers of the shops to be closed. They will have to find new jobs or claim unemployment benefit!
Dumb! Dumb! Dumb!

sometimes a devil's advocate is just an unwitting tool of state oppression.

So how have they measured the distance anyway, by a straight line on a map or from door to door?. You could have a situation where door to door would bring you say 50m outside the distance but if measured from the closest bit of stone or brick of the coffeeshop it could be say 30m inside the distance but would not allow access or exposure. And how serious is this seeing as others have said there is still no certainty that it would even be imposed anyway?. Technical and legal appeals could delay I guess other than that relocation permission aside we will just have to wait until the new year.

Plus what if there are personal growers and smokers within the 250m limit?, makes a mockery of treating the coffeeshops in this way when there could be far more exposure pretty much on a schools door step in comparison.

I believe the schools in question are not for younger students ex: up to age 18....these are actually post secondary schools, ex: college and university students....how fucked is that.

It's like a coffeeshop can be near a toddlers school, no problem there. As soon as the pupils are old enough to go in then it's a problem and they can't be so close to a school!. You really can't make that up, such a crazy stupid situation, right up there with the tobacco ban in coffeeshops and look how that's worked out!.

The new law is not very logical from my point of view: I get the point of trying to protect teens from the cannabis scene. But what about the drinking, gambling, prostitution and so on? It's ok for kids of all ages to walk past hardcore porn postcards (which are openly exposed outside the souvenir shops), but coffeeshops might ruin their characters? It's okay for them to see people drink their brains out each weekend, but to see stoners get high will ruin their lifes? Also those kids aren't stuck to a certain route, even if there was only one street with coffeeshops left, those kids who want to smoke would be smart enough to find it - don't ya think?

Quazer does make a valid point!!

Hope Utopia does relocate, and Betty Boop. (Owners please take note, it won't be the same if you close)

The grasshopper (coffeeshop) can close! Nobody who has ever been there will say it deserves to stay open.

Sirius213 wrote:Hope Utopia does relocate, and Betty Boop. (Owners please take note, it won't be the same if you close)

+1
from what I know the current owner of Betty's has only ever worked in Betty's

And wont it defeat the point where unless I'm wrong there seems to be no such restrictions or cannabis smoking friendly bars?. Well I've not noticed any posts regarding smoking friendly bars also being affected?.

Only just became aware of this. I really hope it doesn't go ahead, some really really nice shops there; De Graal, Utopia, Betty Boop, Anyday so so many =(

I am a little confused as to the exact rules. People have said they think it is only applicable for post 16/18 education, but Het Ballonetje is directly opposite (otherside of road) the University of Amsterdam Faculty of Economics and Business and Kadinskys (the one near Nes) is very close the the central UvA building.

Similarly Yo-yo (not a dig at them at all, really like the shop!) is right next to a suburban kids playground and is not on the list. I mean they are sensible about it, when I was last there the women asked me to smoke inside as there were kids playing outside, which is all you need really.

If De Graal closes I may just collapse in a heap and cry.