TIME com, Weed Be Gone: Will Amsterdam Ban Pot for Tourists?

As Amsterdam officials threaten to outlaw the sale of marijuana to foreigners in the city's coffee shops, owners and cannabis enthusiasts hope the law goes up in smoke.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• grey area
• amsterdam
• coffeeshop
• weed
• drugs
• policy
• tourists

[sobye96]

if they do ban tourists then the dutch economy will go to shit, the only reason tourists go there is to smoke weed, not to see anne frank's house

[magenticka]

@dutchgoing The fact is you're wrong. Marijuana has had over 70 years of intense, serious research. Results; over 1000 health benefits, no physical harm. Sure, some people with mental health backgrounds might not be suited to this, but that's a choice. Vaporisation heats plant matter below the point of combustion, to only release non carcinogenic vapour. You call me a drug addict and you don't even know me, or anything about my life. So, I can't help but find this amusing.

[ynateil]

did they ban tourist from buying weed?

[killa234532]

im looking forward to the day the government realizes they have made a terrible mistake becasue there economy has completely deplited. this is the stupidist law in history we all no that the most harm is casued by drink not cannabis !!!

[Legthyfeline]

@dutchgoing "Central Amsterdam is a toilet because it is a dreadful tourist trap"

So the way to improve Amsterdam might be better directed towards making sure that, given Amsterdam's liberal reputation, and it's reliance on tourism, money is pumped into making regulations for ensuring that the city's liberal areas (e.g. the red-light district and the coffeeshops) are carefully controlled areas. but you can only get that money THROUGH tourism, and I doubt racist laws will help tourist funding.

[dutchgoing]

@Legthyfeline You said 'So... tourists are responsible for all of the problems with Amsterdam' My answer is that I didn't actually ever say that. Central Amsterdam is a toilet because it is a dreadful tourist trap, the reasons why people are lured there from thousands of miles away don't really matter. I have a much bigger problem with alcohol than a bit of weed any day. I was saying that one should not depend on weed or anything, that's just addiction.

[Legthyfeline]

@dutchgoing I couldn't care less about the marijuana. It's the fact that this is an openly racist law that's troubling.

So... tourists are responsible for all of the problems with Amsterdam, really? Is that why there's violence there every single day of the year, rather than when people drop in for a weekend in Amsterdam?

Maybe tackling the massive amount of Pubs in Amsterdam would prevent violence a lot better than racism and xenophobia.

[GoVir4l]

@dutchgoing - Go ahead an clean up Amsterdam then! Grab your hose and toothbrush and get to work, but from where I'm sitting, Amsterdam is a far safer city than any major city in the UK or the States, I hardly smoke cannabis when I vist, it's mostly on business, but from my experience I have never EVER seen any violence or public disorder associated with people on marijuana, it's ALWAYS alcohol.

[dutchgoing]

@GoVir4l I NEVER EVER SAID IT SHOULD BE PROHIBITED YOU BRAIN-DEAD CRETIN. IT IS ALREADY PROHIBITED ANYWAY. LEARN TO FUCKING-WELL READ MY FRIEND.

[GoVir4l]

When we look at Netherlands gun crime, drug crime is NO WAY NEAR as "widespread" as it is in the UK - over the past decade - we had Jamaican, Colombian drug cartels literally ruling the streets of London - constantly at war with rival Turkish/Albanian/Afghan gangs - you have your fucking head up your arse - prohibition has been a complete waste of tax payers money and a complete failure - ask any chief law enforcement officer off-beat and they'll tell you they're fighting a war that cant be won.

[GoVir4l]

@dut - Of course no drug is completely safe - cars aren’t safe, motorcycles aren’t safe, DIY isnt safe - WHAT IS YOUR POINT? You call Amsterdam a toilet?!?! Compare it to areas in the UK such as Lozells, Brixton, Hackney, Luton, Moss Side, Handsworth the list is ENDLESS of the no-go gang/gun criminals that peddle tonnes of drugs on the black-market each year - gun+drug+knife crime in the UK has NEVER been higher than right now - the same can be said for the US - PROHIBITION HAS FAILED SOCIETY

[dutchgoing]

@GoVir4 I think we have proof that you can't read English. All I said that was that no drug is 100% safe, there are of course health risks and that moderation is best. Your strong defence of weed in the face of mild criticism means you are deprendent on it for one reason or another. That's not a solution, just as alcohol isn't a solution. Cleaning up central Amsterdam does not mean that I support prohibition of soft drugs, two different issues, the locals are sick of it being a toilet.