Tourist marijuana trade to be shut down in The Netherlands

Amsterdam draws in over 3.5 million foreign vacationers every year, many who are attracted to the java shop culture and guarantee of being able to easily and lawfully obtain cannabis. But this will soon change, states the Los Angeles Times. The right-wing party of the Dutch government has implemented a new legislation that will ban the sale of cannabis to foreign tourists and severely limit residential access to the "soft" narcotic. Resource for this article - Law bans marijuana sale to foreigners in Dutch coffee shops by Newsytype.com.

Legislation is 'tourism suicide' the experts believe

The policies on weed in the Netherlands makes many want to visit. The young and curious go just for that reason. The Netherlands decriminalized "soft drugs" in the 1970s. This is when java shops for instance Mellow Yellow started to appear everywhere. There are 750 espresso stores, 220 that are in the capital city of Amsterdam, in the country.

The new Dutch regulation requires only 1,500 members are allowed at every java shop while they have to get one year "dope passes" to get marijuana in the future, states the Daily Mail.

There are several individuals mad about the new legislation. There will be millions in marijuana revenue lost from the new law. Moreover, there is concern that the regulation will push the narcotic trade underground again, as Dutch residents will likely take to selling cannabis to vacationers at inflated rates.

Selling illegal narcotics will be stopped

While the cannabis industry at Dutch coffee shops has been legal for some time, the Dutch Ministry of Security and Justice recognize that cannabis isn't really the only drug changing hands. By instituting the new law, which is backed by the far-right party of anti-immigrant politician Geert Wilders, authorities hope to curtail the sale of illegal "hard narcotics," including GHB.

In a public statement, the ministry addressed the concern over lost revenue:

"We attract other types of tourists apart from drugs vacationers."

Anti-foreign cannabis law in place by year's end

Currently, Dutch border towns like Maastricht and Terneuzen already restrict the sale of marijuana. The new law enforcement will start in Limburg, Noord Brabant, Zeeland and other southern provinces by the time the year is over. Next year, the ban will blanket all of The Netherlands.

Amsterdam java shop is very adult in its language and references

Information from

Daily Mail

dailymail.co.uk/travel/article-1392364/Holland-bans-foreigners-cannabis-coffee-shops.html

Dutch Ministry of Security and Justice

bit.ly/l5SJNs

Los Angeles Times

latimes.com/travel/deals/la-trb-dutch-coffeeshops-drugs-20110601,0,588802.story

Reuters

af.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idAFTRE74Q66A20110527