Maastricht bans cannabis coffee-shop tourists

[Turborama]

Source: BBC

October 01 2011 Last updated at 01:25 GMT:

A ban on some foreign tourists has come into force in the cannabis-selling coffee shops of the Dutch border city of Maastricht.

City authorities say the influx of tourists buying soft drugs is threatening public order and causing major traffic problems.

Coffee shop owners say the ban won't work and will hit the local economy.

However, the ban does not apply to visitors from Germany and Belgium who are the majority of foreign customers.

Read more: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-15134669

[jmowreader]

1. I think everyone here can understand this...

people from, say, the US go there, smoke, get stupid and start driving stoned. Next thing you know there's a city bus with a rental car sticking out the side of it.

[On the Road]

4. Well, I Have to Say,

I spent several days in Amsterdam near the train station, and if I didn't know what they sold in the coffeeshops I would have had no idea that half the people I was passing were stoned. At least I guess they were, because I couldn't tell.

A week or so before, I had a layover at the Amsterdam train station for a couple of hours. Despite being jetlagged and on antibiotics, I took a walk around the coffee house district out of curiosity. A British guy came up and asked if he could bum a (regular) cigarette. He then looked at me carefully, put his hand on my shoulder, and said with great concern "Be careful, man." So out of that whole crowd, *I* was the one who looked so stoned I was about to lose it. I had to laugh to and tell him I was just sick.

I understand the Dutch government's concern about drug tourism, but I think a lot of it is because it's so concentrated in a few small areas. If you had to go to a small part of another city to drink, you'd get all kinds of out-of-control situations.

[HuckleB]

2. Think 18-year-olds on Spring Break in Mexico.

Uh, this kind of makes sense.

[waddirum]

8. I've been to coffeeshops throughout The Netherlands

... in Amsterdam, Haarlem, Utrecht, and Maastricht.

In no way was the atmosphere like Spring Break, Mardi Gras, or anything else. People light up a joint, drink a cup of tea, and mainly keep to themselves. In fact, coffeeshops are largely anti-social. People go there to puff up, relax, and surf the internet. I rarely saw people conversing with strangers, like you'd see at a bar.

[HuckleB]

9. In general, that's true.

There are some where it's very different come night time, however.

[and-justice-for-all]

11. I saw nothing to which you refer while I was there....

(and I was there for two weeks)not even on the news.

[HuckleB]

13. Why would it be on the news?

So you're saying they're just taking this action for no reason at all?

Sorry, but I've traveled the world for decades, and I've seen this there and everywhere else. Put a few Aussies and Brits and Americans on their gap year, and, well...

[and-justice-for-all]

10. I have been to Amsterdam as well, and you are exactly correct...

It is not a wild party 24/7 and nor is there criminality at large due to the access to the coffee shops. What will happen however, the crime rate will now start going up and the same happen when the national ban goes into effect next year.

[cstanleytech]

3. I am curius on if they might be in violation of any of the EU laws and or regulations for

putting this into place?

[dipsydoodle]

6. Indeed

From the sound of things the tourists should at least be able to claim that their human rights to be complete fucking nuicances are being violated.

[ellisonz]

5. Discrimination.

[Tsiyu]

7. Maastricht is a beautiful town

Bought hash there in the early '80's in a small club. The tender kept it behind the bar.

Of course, we were on foot, not driving, on those beautiful cobblestone streets, and all the locals told us where to go to find it.

I imagine things have gotten crazier since then, but it's still a nice town to go visit.

[and-justice-for-all]

12. Fail..nt

[SOS]

14. New system for tourists in effect

American hangs out in front of coffee shop, waits for German tourist.
"Hey, can you buy me 3 grams? I'll put in an extra 20 euros".
German buys cannabis, pockets E20 and hands off the goods.

Whether it's Prohibition, the US drug laws, the 21 drinking age or this,
moralizing politicians always underestimate the desire of some humans to get high.