Amsterdam Bans Smoking Joints in the Red Light District

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.

For more news like this, download our free cannabis news app.

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.

—

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

DISCLAIMER: This article was written by a third-party contributor and does not reflect the opinion of Hemp.im, its management, staff, or its associates. Please review our disclaimer for more information.

This article may include forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “estimate,” “become,” “plan,” “will,” and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks as well as uncertainties, including those discussed in the following cautionary statements and elsewhere in this article and on this site. Although the company may believe that its expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, the actual results that the company may achieve may differ materially from any forward-looking statements, which reflect the opinions of the management of the company only as of the date hereof. Additionally, please make sure to read these important disclosures.

First published in Fakty Konopne, a third-party contributor translated and adapted the article from the original. In case of discrepancy, the original will prevail.

Although we made reasonable efforts to provide accurate translations, some parts may be incorrect. Hemp.im assumes no responsibility for errors, omissions or ambiguities in the translations provided on this website. Any person or entity relying on translated content does so at their own risk. Hemp.im is not responsible for losses caused by such reliance on the accuracy or reliability of translated information. If you wish to report an error or inaccuracy in the translation, we encourage you to contact us.