When is amsterdam banning weed for tourists

The Netherlands Chevron. North Holland Chevron. Amsterdam Chevron. With spliff-toting weekenders grounded in their own countries, delighted locals have reclaimed the canal-lined streets of their own city. The city is under lockdown until at least February 9. However, if visitor numbers do shrink a bit, that might not be a bad thing. Bizzare Koi Pond Cafe In…. Sanjay Dutt Turns Tourism Ambassador….

Powered by. November 12, November 11, Travelling To Europe? The Dutch authorities initially announced that coffeeshops would have to close with short notice when the country's first lockdown began last spring. The government quickly reversed course, however, after lines formed outside coffeeshops. Customers wanted to stash supplies ahead of the closures, and the authorities feared that the sale of cannabis could quickly take to the streets and allow the illegal and unregulated drugs trade to flourish.

In the Netherlands, selling drugs is illegal but the Dutch government tolerates the sale of soft drugs in coffeeshops which are strictly regulated.

Still, despite being allowed to remain open, opening times were reduced and travel bans meant that a large proportion of their customers, tourists, were unable to visit until this summer when the Netherlands opened up travel to some nations.

However, there are still restrictions on visitors from some countries with higher Covid rates like many, the Netherlands designated other countries with a traffic light system of red, amber and green depending on case rates and PCR testing and quarantine rules in place for some, deterring many tourists further.

Many locals have tired of the groups of younger tourists that come to Amsterdam for its soft drugs tourism and have enjoyed the lower numbers in the last 18 months.

Lieke, an Amsterdam resident with a young daughter, told CNBC she'd enjoyed the quieter city but didn't think coffeeshops should be no-go areas for tourists, noting that "they will buy it anyway" which was illegal and carried with it other risks, and that to ban tourists would be discriminatory. Otto, an economics teacher who also lives in Amsterdam, agreed that, as a resident, it was "very nice to get our 'own' city center back" rather than having to contend with "shouting and strunk" stoned and drunk tourists.

Asked whether tourists were a nuisance when it comes to coffeeshops, Otto was unequivocal in his response: "Yes. Tourists who come specifically for the shops are generally not necessarily pleasant company. In particular, he said, Amsterdam had a problem with young tourists who, he said, "feel overconfident because they can smoke some weed legally, despite and because of their young age, they find it hard to take the right amount.