Dutch 'To Ban' Drug Tourism By Bruno Waterfield, The Telegraph - Friday, September 11 2009 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." - Article from The Telegraph.
What a bunch of bullshit that would be... Hope it is upheld in the higher courts, as mentioned. Peace -LM
The dutch would be fuckin retarted to pass this legislation. Would be like Mexico saying that their beaches are off limits to foreigners. In a time when budgets are getting cut, why would you kill your biggest cash cow? :icon_confused: -tC
Sounds about right. This is ridiculous, I was actually planning a trip to Amsterdam in the Spring. They are going to lose a shit load of tourism, but I guess that's sort of the goal. I wonder what percentage of business is tourists to the coffeeshops, I really hope this doesn't pass, or is overruled.
Save your money and go to JAMAICA! They don't worry about "laws" down there. I'll be back there next July if anybody wants to join me. -tC
cannabis cup i guess they womt be getting anny of the $15,000 that me & a friend has been saving to tour euope next summer.. well he saved most of it i keep spsnding my part buying us IRON MAIDEN tickets every time they come to towm... i guess its rockin in rio time & jamaca inasead:thumbsup:
Looks like trouble on the horizon in the Dam. I'm with tC tho. For us U.S. travelers the caribbean is the shit! Why do the Dam when you have beaches, babes, sun and native island weed?
Once they see how much money they will be loosing in hotels , airlines,little shops, coffee shops, & restaurants . They will change their mine fast. But I said FUCK THEM grow your own who needs the DAM.-Bud
Holland Is A Member Of The EU The EU ( Europes Answer To The U.S.A , Or United States Of Europe ) Is A Body Of Countries That Have Laws Germany And Belgium Complain That Holland Can Openly Flaunt Law And Sell Cannabis , Mushrooms , Etc. The Dutch Police Are Not In Favour For A Ban , It's Pressure From Other EU Countries . Holland Is The Number One Place In All Of Europe In Which To Bring Up Children It's Harm Reduction strategies Have been Implemented In Canadian Cities With Success ( Needle Exchanges , Aids Free Hookers , Etc ). F.W.I.W ; The Quality Of Herb In Amsterdam Coffeeshops Has Taken A Real Nose Dive Since They Started To Remove Bud Crystal To Make Hash Prices too Have Rocketed Only Katsu And Grasshopper Had Really Nice Bud ( Yum , John Sinclair ) Oh Well , Spannabis Cup In November , Maybe I'll Go There This November Much Warmer And Cheaper Plane Flights Are Still The Same Price ( Sixty U.K Pounds Return ) And accomodation And Food is Cheaper . Personally I Can't See It Happening In The Near Future With This Global Reccesion Going On JKP
