Dutch Government Bring An End To Liberal Drug Laws

When you say Amsterdam, people think of two things; cannabis and sex. But under new proposals, the Dutch government is bringing to an end the relaxed drug laws that have made cities in Holland a popular tourist destination and most notably, Amsterdam.

Since 1976, people from all over the world have been able to go to Holland and buy from a ''Coffeeshop,'' small amounts of cannabis to smoke. Recently the government has tried to get a grip on drug tourism which they say is associated with people getting stoned and committing acts of public disorder. Coffeshop owners disagree and fear it will obliterate the tourist industry which cities like Amsterdam rely on.

Under new proposals, licensed premises that sell cannabis will have to check if a person buying the weed is a local via a government issued pass. If they are foreign, they will not be allowed to purchase any cannabis.

In 2010, EU Judges ruled that the Dutch government was not in breach of European single market laws by restricting cannabis sale to Dutch citizens only. And this Friday, Cafe owners lost a case at The Hague where they were trying to show they new law is discriminatory unless it can prove that foreigners cause more public disorder than the locals.

The ban is due to start in the south and spread nationwide by the end of the year. Its expected to meet strong opposition in Amsterdam where the city council and mayor are both against the new law.

The lawyer for the Cannabis Retailers Association, Maurice Veldman accused the judges of giving into political pressure and said;

"It is a 100 per cent political verdict to defend the state. There is no public order problem with coffee shops in cities like Amsterdam,"

Mr Veldman also said that existing laws allowed foreigners to be banned if they caused a public disturbance but the laws never had to be used since

''coffee shops are notorious for their peaceful and non-violent ambiance"

But Job van de Sande, a spokesman for the ministry of security and justice said;

"Amsterdam will also have to enforce this policy"

It does seem like a strange thing for the Dutch authorities to bring in as it will undoubtedly have an effect on businesses and communities that rely on the tourist trade. If people who go to Holland cannot buy weed in the coffeeshops, it leaves it wide open for drug dealers to move in and fill the gap. And with more drug dealers, you will have more criminality as well as them pushing much harder drugs. Also, people who are stoned, don't normally go and start smashing up park benches.

One cafe owner, Michael Veling has already said that he and others will ignore the ban when it comes in so authorities are forced to prosecute one of them in a test case.