Smoking ban Amsterdam -- Smoking Amsterdam - Tobacco ban - Mushroom ban
All the coffeeshops face a unique problem which only effects the Netherlands as they are the only country to allow coffeeshops.
Under the new European smoking ban which includes coffeeshops: Customers can still light up pure cannabis joints but can not if mixed with the killer tobacco.
The government have hired 200 smoke detectives to police the smoking ban in coffee shops. They say they have been trained to smell the difference between cannabis and tobacco
If you are caught you will be placed up against the wall and shot without any trial, but most have gotten away with a warning. (joke)
So far, so good nothing has changed, but we think not for long as they will start to enforce it soon, we fear the worst.
Some recent Headlines
Dutch ban smoking tobacco - but rules on marijuana are still hazy
This is true, no one knows what will happen, our friends who own a coffeeshop have made no move to change anything, They say they have NO employees so they are Ok, so they say. But the law says different. So we will see.
Dutch marijuana coffee shops brace for smoking ban
Things do not look good, some coffeeshops will be more effected than others, bigger ones can build smoking rooms inside the shop. Ban also covers ash trays, No ashtray allowed outside on terrace tables or to be fitted to the outside of any premises.
Dutch smoking ban: No tobacco in your joints, cafes ordered
I cannot imagine them asking you to rip apart your joint to make sure there is no tobacco in it. Crazy times ahead I guess.
Buzz kill: Smoking ban hits Amsterdam's marijuana coffee shops
People will be bringing in tobacco in crisps packets and chewing gum wrapper and the like. Remember the USA during the alcohol ban , people Carry little flasks with them.
Amsterdammers choke on new smoking laws
With locals and tourists a like having to smoke non tobacco joints, the amount of coughing and choking has increased, " Nearly all our customers are now coughing up their guts, it cannot be good for you all that coughing, only the Americans are used to it'".
Amsterdam cafes go to pot amid tobacco ban
NO Tobacco allowed on the premises - Sign of the times we live in.
Joints 'must be tobacco free' or else........
We have leaflets for customers warning them of the dangers of being caught with tobacco in any joint on the premises.
while coffee shop owners handed out leaflets outlining the new rules of consumption and suggesting tobacco substitutes like a mix of herbs. "Many cultures don't smoke cannabis with tobacco but most Europeans do mix cannabis with tobacco.
MORE NEWS ON SMOKING BAN AS WE GET IT
July 20th
Hill Street Blues coffeeshop on Nieuwmarkt have a sign requesting all customers "Before sealing your joints please to get a member of staff to check it to make sure it's tobacco free.
August 1st
Nothing new to report on the smoking ban.
All coffeeshops busy as usual
August 31st
Was in my local coffeeshop today and a customer went to smoke a cigarette and the assistant yelled at him "stop" .
But people are still rolling with tobacco but the clever ones do not broadcast the fact by leaving a cigarette packet on table. Remember it's legal to smoke drugs but illegal to smoke tobacco. How the tables have turned.
November 11th 2008
LATEST NEWS - NOVEMBER 2008, HOT OF THE PRESS.
it's reported in The Amsterdam Times newspaper this week
Magic Mushrooms will be banned from December 1st 2008.
it's official, no more magic mushrooms after December 1st 2008. So it's finally happened, the ban will be enforced from December 1st.
Bye bye mushrooms, nice knowing you.
Dope tourists a nuisance
Dutch mayors are to get together this week in a bid to come up with ideas to kill or at least clamp down on the nuisance they say is being caused by the millions of foreign tourists (16 million day tourists alone) drawn to the country's cannabis coffee shops which sell up to five grams of cannabis or hash to anyone over eighteen years old.
The gathering of municipal leaders, organised by the Association of Dutch Municipalities (VNG) in Almere, north-east of Amsterdam, was arranged to compile a list of "sticking points" which would be given to the ministries of health, justice and internal affairs. "Border communities are increasingly contending with drug tourism and the nuisance associated therewith," the association said in a statement.
The talk is the government want to close ALL coffeeshops before 2011 by withdrawing their licence's like they did in red-light district recently. Just closed down half of it over night.
Could this be the end of wonderful Amsterdam as we know it.? If the ruling Christian democratic CDA party has their way it will be.
It's always the same with these types, "ruin the fun for everyone" should be the party motto. Cannot understand the people voting theses pricks in (twice).
Party's over, last one out turn off the lights!
December 1st 2008 - D-Day for the magic mushrooms
The mushroom growers and sellers have gotten together to try get an injunction against the government ban.
It turns out the girl who throw herself off the Nemo buildings was actually NOT on mushrooms at the time and had attempted suicide twice before. It was after this the government decided to ban mushrooms.
So we have our fingers crossed. keep you informed as soon as we hear something.
44 coffeeshops to close by 2011
Forty Four coffeeshops got a letter last week informing them they have to stop trading before 2011. Licence's will be revoked and they are NOT allowed move to another area. So 44 less coffeeshops. This includes the huge Bull Dog up on leidesplein , The mayor said this week NO Dutch people go into the Bull Dog, only tourists and that he would not like to see it go. Maybe exceptions can be made. In other words, Bull Dog is safe once you have the mayor on your side.
This is the latest government move to kill all Amsterdam's coffeeshops, new law states any coffeeshop within 200 meters of a school is to be closed.
Other Dutch cities are closing all coffeeshops in the city centers and forcing them to move to the suburbs in an effort to kill off the drive thru drug business. They think moving the shops from center will stop 16 million day tourists coming over the boarders from Germany and the like.
March 15th 2009
The latest on the smoking and Mushroom bans.
Fresh mushrooms seem to have vanished totally. The only ones still on sale in all shops are the philosopher's stones a good alternative to the real thing. Several of the head shops and mushroom galleries have already closed their doors..
The Smoking Ban. Most places have a sign up NO TOBACCO ALLOWED but are not stopping you putting tobacco in your joints unless they see you of course. Silly people placing a packet of cigarettes on the table are really asking for trouble.
It's like being back in 1920's America, the speak easy and the hip flask, except theses days it's tobacco. Mums the word, keep it under your hat.!
Their was supposed to be 200 smoking inspectors hired to police the coffeeshops and bars but so far so good, no reports of any being spotted. Down in Rotterdam one cafe owner placed ash trays back on his tables as he says his business is down 60% and he is a smoker himself are his wife and two sons.
Anyway he lost the case in court last week..Judge ruled the smoking ban is the law, and the law is the law.
June /July 2009
The latest on the smoking ban is that a number of bars/cafes (not coffeeshops)
are taking a case to the courts to try and get "owner only", places with no employees to be allowed carry on smoking in their own cafes/bars and allow
customers to do the same.
A recent case brought by one owner failed in the courts, Judge ruled that the "law is the law".
One bar owner got around the ban by turning her store room into the where you order your drinks and made the entire bar smoking.
Many of the bigger coffeeshops have opened smoking rooms inside the premises and several have just moved their counter to the door and built a partition turning the remainder of the shop into a smoking area. There is nearly always a way around the law here in Amsterdam.
Latest on the Mushroom ban.
Despite the ban on the little magic fellows you can still buy them everywhere and two magic mushroom galleries have reopened since the ban. So all is not lost, you can still go day tripping in Amsterdam.
May 29th 2011
The tobacco ban in Amsterdam has failed. More and more bars and cafes are allowing smoking once again with ash trays reappearing on tables. Amsterdam it seems is the only city to take a stand. On the other hand it seems the coffeeshops are in the firing line.
As of Friday 27th of May the Dutch government have passed a law banning all tourists from entering a coffeeshop from end of 2011.
The statement of May 27th 2011 went like this
"In order to tackle the nuisance and criminality associated with coffee shops and drug trafficking, the open-door policy of coffee shops will end," read a letter to the parliament from the health and justice ministers.
The cabinet expects that the closure of coffee shops to foreign drug tourists will result in that they no longer travel to the Netherlands for the purchase and consumption of cannabis," the cabinet also said in the statement. "After all, for many of them applies that they can use the existing illegal market in their own country. Nevertheless will the possible side effects of these measures be monitored closely and adequately addressed by the police, judiciary, and administration."
This is big news all around the world with headlines appearing all over the Internet and discussions going on all the cannabis forums and notice boards.
Amsterdam Will Ban Tourists from Pot Coffee Shops
The English-language Dutch Daily News quoted the head of Dutch tour operator TUI, who said, "The coffee shops belong to our culture....That will really hit the city bad. Also many young foreigners after their first visit will not return at an older age when they have more money."
The law will roll out in the southern provinces of Limburg, Noord Brabant and Zeeland by the end of the year and the rest of the country next year, the spokesman said.
It is not all bad news, yet.
Quote:
Municipality may ignore new pas ruling.
According to Minister Opsteltens draft letter to the House on wietpas (weed pass), it is up to the mayors of each city to ward off tourists from coffee shops Friday, he discusses his plan in the cabinet. (Translated badly from Dutch).
So as far as we can make out, The mayor of each city decides what the policy will be for his city.The Amsterdam Major is not stupid, it would mean 50% less tourism in Amsterdam, which is 50% less income for the city and Mayor to spend.
In the past the Mayors of Amsterdam have always found a way around the bans and rulings sent his way from the national government. Examples are the ban on Mushrooms and the smoking tobacco ban, in both cases the Major has found a way around theses, so not to effect the tourist trade too much.
Not one mushroom shop or head shop closed down after the ban and all the coffeeshops had to do was built smoking rooms. Most places turned the entire shop into one big smoking room and just made a small cubical space near the door to sell takeaway weed and separate the staff from the smoke. Problem solved. Amsterdam style.
Problem is, people believe what they read. We are already receiving mails and live chats from guests, booked to arrive in the coming months, wanting us to confirm that they will not be effected by the ban and if so, can they cancel and get their deposits back. Even before any ban happens, theses headlines all over the Internet are already effecting the travel plans of people and will have a terrible effect on the tourist trade.
Not many people will come to Amsterdam just for the art and canals,
Recent rulings have already closed a lot of coffeeshops in a number of cities.The no coffeeshop bedi'e school" (no coffeeshops beside schools). The new government, wants to extend the school rule from 250 meters to 350 metes which will force even more closures.in many cities.
Hopefully the Amsterdam Mayor will have some sense and not impose and future rulings / bans. So folks Amsterdam is not finished yet.
More news as we get it.- promise
Tourist Coffeeshop Ban - Amsterdam Smoking Ban - Tourist Smoking ban Amsterdam - Coffeeshops Smoking ban Amsterdam - Mushroom and smoking bans
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