Amsterdam’s cannabis cafés could be closing to tourists. The city’s mayor, Femke Halsema, is pursuing the move in order “to get a grip on the local soft drugs market,” according to Dutch News.
“Many of the major problems in the city are fueled by the cannabis market: From nuisance caused by drug tourism to serious crime and violence,” Halsema told city councilors on Monday. “Banning sales to tourists is a necessary intervention… and a first step towards regulation.”
According to the Dutch News report, 3 million foreign tourists visit a cannabis café or coffee shop in Amsterdam, which is the only place in the country where the residents-only rule has not been enforced. In addition, Schengen Visa Info noted that research conducted by the country’s government revealed that 58 percent of international tourists who traveled to Amsterdam chose the Netherlands’ capital in order to consume drugs. That said, research indicates that only 66 of the current 166 licensed coffee shops in Amsterdam are needed to meet local demand (i.e., if a tourist ban is enforced).
The ban would likely be temporary. Halsema says would remain in place long enough to ensure the cannabis market remains manageable while experiments with regulated marijuana production get underway. Should the plan become law, there would likely be a period of consultation and transition for owners of coffee shops, so questions remain as to when this would come into effect.
“Amsterdam is an international city, and we wish to attract tourists—but for its richness, its beauty and its cultural institutions,” the mayor said.
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