 The United States made their very first move towards legalization back in 1996 in California. But long before that, the city of Amsterdam, in the Netherlands, was known for their liberal policies towards cannabis, among other things. Through the years, millions upon millions have visited Amsterdam for this very reason.
This week, Amsterdam’s mayor, Femke Halsema, is pushing forward her plans to close the city’s cannabis cafes to tourists. On Monday, she told Amsterdam city councilors she believes that, “Many of the major problems in the city are fueled by the cannabis market: from nuisances caused by drug tourism to serious crime and violence.” Throughout the rest of The Netherlands, access to cannabis cafes is limited to residents only. Amsterdam remains the only location where tourists may visit them. Current estimations are that approximately three million foreign tourists visit Amsterdam’s cannabis cafes every year. Amsterdam’s city councilors are not convinced of the need to close the city’s cannabis cafes to tourists, and they fear an increase in street dealing if the Mayor’s plan goes ahead. Currently, Amsterdam has a serious shortage of police officers, as they have a deficit of about 300 officers and 20 wardens, which would make enforcing a ban difficult. Mayor Halsema does not have to rely on majority support within the city council if she declares the situation to be ‘necessity’. It is within her powers to impose the measure, with or without majority council support. Comments are closed.
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