the GLOBAL issue
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Signs in Amsterdam warn against smoking Cannabis in public.
AMSTERDAM’S
COFFEESHOP CRACKDOWN
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OR THE PAST HALF-CENTURY, Amsterdam border municipalities (where many rowdy tourists enter has been considered the Cannabis capital from neighboring countries like Germany, France, Britain of Europe, if not the world. Long before and Belgium) rather than in Amsterdam, where weed legalization seemed possible here in Ameritourism comprises a significant portion of the city’s econca, Amsterdam’s coffeeshops were the only omy. Sadly though, it looks like that’s about to change. place where one could buy and consume Earlier this year, Amsterdam’s first female mayor Femmarijuana openly without fear of criminal repercussion – ke Halsema, proposed, among other things, enforcing thanks to the Netherlands’ policy of “soft drug” tolerance the wietpas ban in the capital for the first time. In a letter (gedoogbeleid). But over the past decade, that tolerance to the city council on January 8, Halsema outlined a sehas eroded due to the right-leaning Christian national ries of policy changes regarding the city’s Cannabis ingovernment and complaints from the citizenry. dustry. Aside from the so-called “residence criterion,” the Just before the pandemic, tourism to Amsterdam was proposal would also institute new licensing requirements at an all-time high – averaging nearly 2 million to legalize the supply chain – allowing THE LOSS OF visitors per month – half of whom were there, shops to purchase their Cannabis legally at least in part, to visit some of the city’s 166 from government-approved sources (thus CANNABIS Cannabis coffeeshops and/or infamous Red Light eliminating the problem of illegal “backTOURISM IS District. Residents have long decried the throngs of door” suppliers who are often connectSURE TO HAVE ill-behaved tourists who reportedly piss, puke, lited to organized crime) and keep more A DEVASTATING ter, shout and fight in their streets, and seeing the stock on-premises. However, these new EFFECT ON THE city tourist-free during the COVID lockdown has requirements would also limit the number only spotlighted these “overtourism” complaints. of locations each coffeeshop brand can CITY’S ECONOMY To address these “quality of life” concerns, the operate and eliminate over half of the Dutch government began taking steps to reduce tourism: remaining coffeeshops in the city. banning new hotels and tourist-targeted businesses As expected, coffeeshop owners are pushing back (such as Red Light tours and souvenir shops), restricting hard against these measures. Joachim “Joa” Helms, Airbnb rentals and increasing their “tourist tax.” In 2012, co-owner of the legendary Green House coffeeshop and they introduced the “wietpas” (weed pass) policy, which spokesman for the Dutch Cannabis Retailers Association banned non-residents from visiting coffeeshops; howev(BCD), says that the coffeeshop industry is being unfairly er, until now, the policy has been enforced primarily in targeted for the problem of misbehaving tourists.
JUN. 2021
“People who come to smoke weed aren’t the ones causing the disturbance,” he asserts. “Usually, it’s guys being loud on the street and being drunk – and those aren’t typical coffeeshop people.” So if drunk people are causing most of the problems, BCD representatives argue, why not ban tourists from bars? They also point out that the ban will only exacerbate the very criminality officials claim to be concerned about. “If you want to prevent an illegal market, then coffeeshops are essential,” says Helms. “Every smoker that’s not allowed in a coffeeshop is one that buys his weed from an illegal dealer!” According to them, the tourist ban is bad policy for several reasons: It endangers tourists by exposing them to shady street dealers who also sell hard drugs, carry weapons and rip people off; it funnels revenue from Cannabis sales into the hands of criminals, rather than regulated, tax-paying businesses; and it forces tourists to consume their Cannabis out in public, rather than inside designated shops, thus exposing passersby to their smoke. “With the US and Canada legalizing, Cannabis culture is only getting bigger and bigger,” Helms observes. “So instead of closing shops to tourists, we should embrace what this city was always known for and legalize. That’s the best, most obvious solution.” As of now, plans to relocate the Red Light District from the city center to a new “sex zone” on the outskirts of town are already underway, and the Cannabis control proposal is on track to take effect next year. Even if the ban does go into effect, however, many predict it will be short-lived, as the loss of Cannabis tourism is sure to have a devastating effect on the city’s economy – not just the coffeeshop owners, but also hotels, tour operators, restaurants and other businesses. Hopefully, a fairer compromise can be negotiated that addresses residents’ legitimate concerns, while still allowing tourists to continue enjoying Amsterdam’s world-renowned coffeeshop culture.
STORY by BOBBY BLACK @BOBBYBLACK420 for LEAF NATION
