Dutch government to ban tourists from cannabis shops

Started by Strix, May 27, 2011, 09:12:58 PM

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Strix

May 27, 2011, 09:12:58 PM
Quote from: ReutersDutch government to ban tourists from cannabis shops

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) – The Dutch government on Friday said it would start banning tourists from buying cannabis from "coffee shops" and impose restrictions on Dutch customers by the end of the year.

The Netherlands is well known for having one of Europe's most liberal soft drug policies that has made its cannabis shops a popular tourist attraction, particularly in Amsterdam.

Backed by the far-right party of anti-immigrant politician Geert Wilders, the coalition government that came into power last year announced plans to curb drug tourism as part of a nationwide program to promote health and fight crime.

"In order to tackle the nuisance and criminality associated with coffee shops and drug trafficking, the open-door policy of coffee shops will end," the Dutch health and justice ministers wrote in a letter to the country's parliament on Friday.

Under the new rules, only Dutch residents will be able to sign up as members of cannabis shops.

Dutch customers will have to sign up for at least a year's membership and each shop would be expected to have only up to 1,500 members, a justice ministry spokesman said.

The policy will roll out in the southern provinces of Limburg, Noord Brabant and Zeeland by the end of the year and the rest of the country next year, the spokesman said.

Amsterdam, home to about 220 coffee shops, is already in the process of closing some in its red light district. Some officials have resisted the measures, saying they will push the soft drug trade underground.

Some Dutch border towns including Maastricht and Terneuzen have already restricted the sale of marijuana to foreigners.

(Reporting by Greg Roumeliotis and Gilbert Kreijger; Editing by Andrew Heavens)

Don't these stupid euros realize that legalizing drugs prevents and eliminates most crime?!? The taxes alone make it worthwhile to keep drugs legal.  :secret:

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Scipio

#1
May 27, 2011, 09:21:36 PM
The problem is that the Dutch idea of crime is too much scheisse porn and too high prices for tulip bulbs.  They'll riot in the streets for overpriced cocoa.
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Razgovory

#2
May 27, 2011, 09:23:27 PM
I wonder what effects it does have compared to say, Belgium or Luxembourg.
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HVC

#3
May 27, 2011, 09:25:21 PM
Looks like portugal is gonna get a surge of tourists. 
Being lazy is bad; unless you still get what you want, then it's called "patience".
Hubris must be punished. Severely.

Valmy

#4
May 27, 2011, 10:52:04 PM
Quote from: Strix on May 27, 2011, 09:12:58 PM
Don't these stupid euros realize that legalizing drugs prevents and eliminates most crime?!? The taxes alone make it worthwhile to keep drugs legal.  :secret:

Not really sure what crime they are trying to prevent besides exporting of their drugs to other countries where it is illegal.
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Zmiinyi defenders: "Russian warship, go fuck yourself."

HisMajestyBOB

#5
May 27, 2011, 11:46:06 PM
There goes all their tourist income. Why else did they think people traveled there? The cheese and tulips?  :P
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Josquius

#6
May 28, 2011, 05:23:43 AM
Good news for Portugal I guess. They should really put some heavy advertising into being the new drug land with Amsterdam being killed.

Stupid move from the Dutch though. Sure, the pothead tourists were annoying, but they hardly ruined the place and brought in a lot of business. Liberalisation of drug laws is a good thing (tm).

I'm doubting the legality of this move even...its against EU law to restrict access just to Dutch citizens.
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grumbler

#7
May 28, 2011, 07:49:01 AM
Quote from: Tyr on May 28, 2011, 05:23:43 AM
I'm doubting the legality of this move even...its against EU law to restrict access just to Dutch citizens.
It may be justified on the basis that these are clubs, not businesses.  Not sure how that will fly given the nudge-nudge-wink-wink nature of the "clubs," but it should be kept in mind that these measures are for political effect, not as law enforcement measures.  Even if the laws themselves are struck down, they will have had the desired political effect.
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Bayraktar!

Josephus

#8
May 28, 2011, 07:52:38 AM
It seems like wherever I go, restrictions follow.  :lol:
I went to Chichinitza some years ago and climbed up the pyramid and the next year the Mexican government stopped tourists from climbing up.
I was in Amsterdam twice in the last 10 years and visited those coffee shops (to buy coffee of course) and now that's banned.

LOL...what shall I do next? :hmm:

Civis Romanus Sum<br /><br />"My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world." Jack Layton 1950-2011

Ed Anger

#9
May 28, 2011, 07:58:54 AM
Quote from: Josephus on May 28, 2011, 07:52:38 AM
It seems like wherever I go, restrictions follow.  :lol:
I went to Chichinitza some years ago and climbed up the pyramid and the next year the Mexican government stopped tourists from climbing up.
I was in Amsterdam twice in the last 10 years and visited those coffee shops (to buy coffee of course) and now that's banned.

LOL...what shall I do next? :hmm:

Pretty soon, fat Americans will be following you to Cuba. HAHA
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Josephus

#10
May 28, 2011, 08:13:06 AM
Quote from: Ed Anger on May 28, 2011, 07:58:54 AM
Quote from: Josephus on May 28, 2011, 07:52:38 AM
It seems like wherever I go, restrictions follow.  :lol:
I went to Chichinitza some years ago and climbed up the pyramid and the next year the Mexican government stopped tourists from climbing up.
I was in Amsterdam twice in the last 10 years and visited those coffee shops (to buy coffee of course) and now that's banned.

LOL...what shall I do next? :hmm:

That will happen in the not-to-distant future.
Pretty soon, fat Americans will be following you to Cuba. HAHA
Civis Romanus Sum<br /><br />"My friends, love is better than anger. Hope is better than fear. Optimism is better than despair. So let us be loving, hopeful and optimistic. And we'll change the world." Jack Layton 1950-2011

grumbler

#11
May 28, 2011, 09:46:28 AM
Quote from: Josephus on May 28, 2011, 08:13:06 AM
Quote from: Ed Anger on May 28, 2011, 07:58:54 AM
Quote from: Josephus on May 28, 2011, 07:52:38 AM
It seems like wherever I go, restrictions follow.  :lol:
I went to Chichinitza some years ago and climbed up the pyramid and the next year the Mexican government stopped tourists from climbing up.
I was in Amsterdam twice in the last 10 years and visited those coffee shops (to buy coffee of course) and now that's banned.

LOL...what shall I do next? :hmm:

That will happen in the not-to-distant future.
Pretty soon, fat Americans will be following you to Cuba. HAHA
The future is all around us, waiting, in moments of transition, to be born in moments of revelation. No one knows the shape of that future or where it will take us. We know only that it is always born in pain.   -G'Kar

Bayraktar!

garbon

#12
May 28, 2011, 12:21:40 PM
Quote from: Josephus on May 28, 2011, 07:52:38 AM
It seems like wherever I go, restrictions follow.  :lol:

Oh my god, me too.  Went to Massachusetts and you could smoke in bars and restaurants. Can't do that anymore. Then I went to London and you can't smoke in pubs anymore either. Went back to California and you could hold your cell phone in your hands while driving - no longer! Now I'm in New York and you could smoke in parks - but no longer.  Funny how all those restrictions follow me. :lol:
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Josquius

#13
May 28, 2011, 12:24:23 PM
Quote from: garbon on May 28, 2011, 12:21:40 PM
Quote from: Josephus on May 28, 2011, 07:52:38 AM
It seems like wherever I go, restrictions follow.  :lol:

Oh my god, me too.  Went to Massachusetts and you could smoke in bars and restaurants. Can't do that anymore. Then I went to London and you can't smoke in pubs anymore either. Went back to California and you could hold your cell phone in your hands while driving - no longer! Now I'm in New York and you could smoke in parks - but no longer.  Funny how all those restrictions follow me. :lol:

You need to spend more time in continental Europe. They could use a man with your powers.
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Zanza

#14
May 29, 2011, 03:51:00 AM
Quote from: Tyr on May 28, 2011, 05:23:43 AMI'm doubting the legality of this move even...its against EU law to restrict access just to Dutch citizens.
The ECJ disagrees with your assessment.
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