/ / / / / /

Total Bummer. Amsterdam Will Close Its Weed Cafes to Tourists

May 31, 2011 at 2:45 PM | by | Comments (4)

Can you hear that? Stoners and wanna-be stoners everywhere are weeping and reaching for the nearest bag of Cheetos, to ease the sadness. Holland, home to Amsterdam and this, the weed-smoking capital of the world, will shut the doors of its cannabis cafes to tourists. By the end of the year, only Dutch residents will be able to enter pot-selling shops.

So if you were planning a trip to light up in Amsterdam, you'll have to find other means to get high. According to the Daily Mail, the new legislation is being called "tourism suicide," since it will cost the country millions of dollars each year in lost revenue.

Under the new anti-drug rules, which aim to curb illegal activity in the districts that cannabis cafes inhabit, customers will have to sign up for a one-year membership, or dope pass, to the 750-some pot-hawking cafes in the country. Adding insult to injury, each cafe will only be permitted to have 1,500 members. Those who oppose the ban worry that the move will cause Dutch residents to sell marijuana to tourists at inflated prices.

We're guessing that tourists will still come out to partake in the other red-light district offerings that remain legal, but there will be a lot of disappointed would-be Amsterdam travelers out there.

[Photo: r0bz]

Comments (4)

Post a Comment

Return to » Total Bummer. Amsterdam Will Close Its Weed Cafes to Tourists


Bummer!

Bummer, I'm going to Amsterdam next year. On the bright side, maybe tourism will drop and I can get my hotel cheaper.
Phamer55 on May 31, 2011 at 4:15 PM #Permalink

shooting themselves in the foot

I've never heard of anyone going to Amsterdam for the sights, its always to party and visit the cafes. This is the equivalent of France closing off the Eiffel tower to tourists.
dullo1 on June 1, 2011 at 11:20 AM #Permalink

The Dutch

The Dutch are a resilient people (having lived here for 3 years, I know). The original meaning for this measure is to yes indeed curb so-called 'drugtourists' that come into the country. But not your typical backpacker coming to Amsterdam for what it says in the guide books. Quite the contrary. Its to curb the border dwellers who live just on the outside of the Dutch borders with Belgium andGermany from coming in, buying a bunch of weed, and getting out back to their home country. The reason the coffeeshops were 'allowed' in the first place was to keep the 'allowed' sale under watchful eye and control. Now with this, they are forcing it underground again. Don't expect coffeeshops to stay quiet or succumb without a fight though. Amsterdam coffeeshops will resist, and you never know...just like with many other things that come up in this country, if there is a heavy enough debate on all sides about it, it just may not come to pass. Bureaucracy at its finest.
JamesPatronNL on June 14, 2011 at 6:16 PM #Permalink

don't care

I went to the cannabis cup in 2005 with a friend. We each spent $5,000 for a months stay, but were severely disappointed. The quality of the weed was terrible, (much better in Seattle,WA.), and except for the staff of the coffee shops, a lot of Dutch are rude and arrogant, not to mention racially prejudice - (check out their Christmas traditions, probable the only country that still tolerates the use of "black face" costumes.) I WOULD NEVER GO BACK AND I'M SORRY I EVER WENT. BAD (NOT GOOD) WEED. RUDE PEOPLE. LAND OF GREEDY INTERNATIONAL BANKERS. Stupid people, alcohol is the problem, not weed. Puke and feces all over the sidewalks from DRUNKS.
Bruce Harrington on October 2, 2011 at 7:11 AM #Permalink

Return to » Total Bummer. Amsterdam Will Close Its Weed Cafes to Tourists

Join the conversation!

Not a member? .
Use of this Site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement (effective 3/21/12) and Privacy Policy (effective 3/21/12). © Condé Nast. Your California Privacy Rights. All rights reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Condé Nast.
Ad Choices