Dutch News

If this passes, it will be the final nail in the coffin for me.

Wow I agree that would be a huge change! It’s not on the same scale as shutting the RLD, but it’s along similar lines.

I wonder what Amsterdam will look like in 10 years...I know it’s not perfect and some of the people around the RLDs aren’t impeccably behaved, but I pray it is not too dissimilar to today.

But, if there is a rowdy group causing a problem, are they stoned or are they drunk?
This just seems like an excuse for the puritans to cleanse the city.

Fair point - probably stoned as well but the drink probably causes most of the rowdiness. I think the puritans believe that restricting coffee shops would attract less of these rowdy people to Amsterdam. By the way, I know I’m in the minority here, but I have never believed the rowdiness is that much of an issue. I have regularly been on weekends and i only notice a very small number of rowdy people - in fact I wouldn’t even refer to some of them as rowdy - just looks like people in any other city enjoying themselves on a Saturday night.

What a smart idea. Because what you want to do is to give those young Moroccan drug dealer wannabe-thugs more power and make buying weed illegal for tourists. ;)

There are two proposals before the city council.
I'm sure there will be lots of noisy debate.
In the end, there will be serious concerns about an explosion in black market sales, and all the associated crime.
Then nothing will happen.
Just like the last hundred times.

Weasel

Did this just become law?

"Blown off: Amsterdam will ban foreign tourists from coffeeshops in future" Dutchnews January 8th, 2021

Dutch News

Not law yet and hopefully never will be.

New article today.

Dutch News

Whew thanks. That would be a travesty post covid19.

Netherlands is run on Provinces and City Mayors. Amsterdam can municipally make the decision. This mayor they have is a lot more popular than she gets credit for.

Amsterdam mayors have had the authority to do this since 2013.
They have always decided to leave things alone.
The number of shops has been cut almost in half in the last 10 years,
and shops within a few hundred meters of schools have all been closed.
The proposal still involves more study, as well as a "transition period".
Given the current state of tourism and the economy, it seems like a poor time to do this.
I can't tell you how many times this has been proposed over the past 30 years.
It always gets dropped over fears of increased street sales.
If sales to locals remain legal, there will be an instant black market.
It may cause some hassles, but I don't think this plan will keep tourists from finding weed.

Weasel
Still banned from the Netherlands, despite my fucking vaccination.

I remember when coffee shops could be legally raided; some even shutdown. Bastards.

A very sad decision during very sad times. And I know the tourists in the RLD and Leidesplein, etc., can be assholes. But this is anti-freedom and it's collective punishment.

I'm over 60 and wanted to make one more trip, at least, to stay in the quiet, nontouristy, lovely, boring, and diverse De Pijp area as I do now for a decade or so, somewhere that is close to Park 118 and some decent coffee shops. (I don't do the nearby window gals---I'm too old for WhamBamThankYouMaam!)

I'm sure I can get weed via bribe to a clerk or a guy on the straat, but that's how I'm stuck getting weed on the street in NYC. (Small amounts of possessing weed is legal; all medical marijuana in NYS seems to be oil or processed meds, not bud.) I can't now, as a US citizen, enjoy the freedom that is unavailable in NYC and so native to the Dutch---the right to have a Capuchino and a smoke inside a nice social establishment legally.

I'm pissed. Not surprised. One cool hotel receptionist from Surinam told me about 12 years ago "they're trying to make Amsterdam a city for old ladies."

I'm fucking angry. I hope there are weed updates, after the newest shutdowns, on how non-NL citizens are managing and hustling to get stuff.

Of course, I hope the soul of Amsterdam comes through and the coffee shop owners refuse to honor this decree.

So, assuming this goes ahead (kind of feels like it will).
Where will the weed tourists migrate to?

Haarlem?
There are some good coffeeshops in Haarlem, but I doubt they could absorb the numbers.
I would expect it to be short lived.

The Hague?
Most shops are buy and fly and the local government are trying to stamp out public consumption of weed.
Again, I doubt the city would welcome the influx.

If weed is the primary reason for going to Amsterdam, perhaps they’ll move on to Barcelona?

I guess it depends on the details of the ban.
Can tourists still possess cannabis?
Can you still consume in smoker friendly places that don’t sell weed?
I forget the details, would the legislation, that Amsterdam didn’t implement, prevent this?
A brief stop in Haarlem on your way into town???

If the mayor is serious in her intent, I’m sure these loopholes will be closed too, eventually.
2021 isn’t shaping up to be any better than 2020.

does it exist any debate regarding this or is this the most common opinion among locals? moving the girls out of RLD and banning soft drugs for tourist?

local shop owner for an example. They are probably paying alot of rent for a spot in the RLD. A RLD that would be more or less empty without drugs or sex workers. I bet only a few go into that area just to visit another yoghurt/ ice cream bar...

One of the articles mentions a secondary step of closing around 100 coffeeshops, because a local only trade won’t need so many.
How?
They can’t all convert to cafe’s or burger joints to service non-existent tourists.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-08/amsterdam-wants-to-restrict-tourists-from-its-marijuana-shops

this ban seems to actually be a reality rather soon. Post corona according to some news? that means this year...
the green block also voted for this idea.

It’s part of the mayor’s “build back better” strategy.
Not sure how it helps the economy, jobs, etc.
Could be a crowd pleaser for Amsterdam residents?

RECENT DEBATE

the main argument seems to be thats its too messy. There are 20 million tourists in Amsterdam every year. Most of them are behaving good but some aren't. These are the ones to get rid of..

I think its better to close some bars then. People get way too drunk. One doesn't urinate in the streets because of too much weed, lol....

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55765554

Well,

Property taxes in Amsterdam will go up 22% this year to (partially) make up for lost tourist revenue.
The city council is looking at significantly reducing services as well.
I bet that if you asked, most property owners would rather see more weed sales and less property tax.

The mayor and her green party are very much anti-tourist. She is having her way so far.

This is all academic at this point. The full financial fallout of COVID is still months away.
When the forclosures and bankruptcies mount, then we will see how many mayors will throw away well established revenue streams. Even if Halmsma and the Greens don't want tourists back, she may lose her job over a slow economic recovery.

I'm more concerned about how it will feel to visit in the future.
I don't want to go someplace I'm not welcome.
I don't want to be in a depressed ghost town.
I have to admit, I'm not sure what the vibe will be like on the other side of this, and I am being forced to consider the possibility that it might turn into a real mess.

Weasel

Couldn't agree more with the crowd who say that it will never happen, at least not while weed is illegal in places like France and the UK. Covid is going to hammer down tourist numbers all by itself, with fewer people able to afford to waste money treating themselves. Meanwhile the general trend continues to be greater movement towards liberalisation in the soft drugs and hooking policy categories as more countries realise the futility of suppressing either trade and the long term harms that prohibition causes. My prediction is that Amsterdam's middle class Respectables will only get their vision of a city of parks, museums and art galleries only once the surrounding countries legalise the sex and drug trades to one degree or another. Then there will be no special reason to visit Amsterdam except to enjoy a beautiful city with an interesting history...