Amsterdam Bans Smoking Joints in the Red Light District

Amsterdam has partially banned smoking cannabis in public spaces, specifically in the Red Light District. The ban, which will be enforced by the police and local authorities, aims to reduce disruptive behavior and organized crime in the city. It will take effect from May 25, 2023. Additionally, the Mayor of Amsterdam seeks to limit the activity of coffee shops and reduce the influx of tourists.

Amsterdam has implemented a partial ban on smoking cannabis in public outdoor spaces. The Dutch capital has introduced a ban on smoking cannabis outdoors in the famous Red Light District.

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Amsterdam City Council Votes to Impose Fine

This week, the Amsterdam City Council voted to impose a fine of €100 ($109) on anyone caught smoking cannabis in the streets of the Margriet Luttikhuzien district, the main district of the city, according to a city spokesperson quoted by Bloomberg.

When will the partial ban on smoking cannabis in Amsterdam come into effect? The ban on smoking cannabis outdoors in the Margriet Luttikhuzien district in Amsterdam will take effect from May 25, 2023.

The Ban Will Be Enforced by the Police and Local Authorities

Why was the decision made to partially ban smoking cannabis in Amsterdam? Mayor Femke Halsema has long been calling for a reform of the Red Light District, aiming to reduce disruptive behavior to residents and organized crime in the city center.

Authorities are also considering relocating the Red Light District from the city center.

“The ban is part of a broader set of measures aimed at reducing inconvenience, improving residents’ sleep, and increasing safety,” said Luttikhuizen.

Although cannabis is not legal in the Netherlands, the law allows for the possession of up to five grams of cannabis for personal use.

Licensed coffee shops can sell small amounts of cannabis to individuals over 18 years old.

In the past, the Mayor of Amsterdam expressed determination to change the economic balance between residents and tourists. While cannabis tourism in Amsterdam brings many benefits, Halsema opposed the image of Amsterdam as a destination for people seeking sexual services and cannabis consumption.

The Mayor of Amsterdam Wants to Limit the Activity of Coffee Shops

Femke Halsema, the Mayor of Amsterdam, already took action in 2020 to reduce the number of popular coffee shops in the city to deal with the excessive number of visitors to the center. The city has a population of 1.1 million residents and attracts 17 million tourists annually, many of whom want to visit the center to try cannabis in one of the coffee shops.

A survey published on the data.amsterdam.nl website reveals that 34% of people visiting the Wallen and Singel districts, known for their red-light district and coffee shops, would visit the city less often if foreigners were not allowed to buy cannabis in those places. Up to 11% of respondents would not return to Amsterdam at all.

Among respondents from the United Kingdom, 42% stated that they would visit Amsterdam less frequently if they could not buy cannabis in a coffee shop. Overall, 40% of all respondents said that if a ban were introduced, they would not use “hashish or herb” during their visit to Amsterdam. One-fifth of people (22%) said they would ask someone else to purchase cannabis in a coffee shop, and 18% would consider other ways to obtain it.

According to British tourists, coffee shops are the most frequently mentioned main reason for visiting Amsterdam (33%). Less often mentioned as the main reason is exploring the city on foot or by bike (21%), while attractive prices are often cited as a primary factor (11%).

Mayor Halsema hopes that limiting the number of coffee shops will help reduce the influx of tourists to the city center and counter the uncontrolled growth of the drug market. However, introducing a ban on purchasing cannabis may cause dissatisfaction among many tourists, for whom coffee shops are one of the main reasons to visit Amsterdam.

Mike Tyson Opens Coffee Shop in Amsterdam

Mike Tyson, former boxing champion and founder of the TYSON 2.0 brand, introduced his products to the Dutch market in March. Starting Friday, March 24, residents and tourists in Amsterdam will have the opportunity to visit the new coffee shop branded TYSON 2.0.

In a press statement, Mike Tyson confessed that the opening of a coffee shop in Amsterdam was a fulfillment of his dreams. He gained fame not only as an undefeated boxer but also as an entrepreneur and cannabis enthusiast. In 2021, the country of Malawi invited him to serve as the official ambassador of cannabis to attract foreign investors.

Adam Wilks, the CEO of TYSON 2.0, emphasized that Amsterdam is one of the world’s top travel destinations, attracting over 18 million tourists annually. Therefore, the opening of a TYSON 2.0 coffee shop in this city is a tremendous success for the company, as it expands its international presence beyond North America and enters the European market.

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(Featured image provided by Cristiano Gatti (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0) via Flickr)

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