Maastricht bans cannabis coffee-shop tourists

[Gerald]

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.

The move comes ahead of a proposed nationwide crackdown being discussed in the Dutch parliament.

The BBC's Anna Holligan says the ban is being seen as a test case that could be implemented in other Dutch towns and cities.

There are about 700 coffee shops in the Netherlands. The cultivation and sale of soft drugs through them is decriminalised although not legal.

An estimated 6,000 people visit Maastricht's coffee shops every day - most making the quick trip across the border from Belgium and Germany.

But from Saturday, anyone who doesn't hold a Dutch, Belgian or German passport will be told to leave.

Hi-tech security scanners have been set up to check passports and ID cards, and police will carry out random checks.

City authorities say drug tourists pose a threat to public order.

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


Note: 1 October 2011 Last updated at 01:25 GMT

[Tchocky]

Maastricht resident here - I have never noticed drug tourism here. Traffic problems, yes. But that's not the fault of drugs

[Egan]

I thought the Dutch government was going to introduce a national ban as of next year anyway?


I haven't been to the Netherlands in about ten years - guess I'd better go again soon!

How exactly can the Maastricht authorities discriminate in favour of German and Belgian tourists and against everyone else? In fact, Can the Dutch authorites in general stop people from EU member states having the same rights as Dutch people? I wonder how long it will be before the big money behind coffee shops sponsor a test case.

The Belgian/German exemption seems odd. Considering that the vast majority of drug tourists in Maastricht are going to be day trippers from either of these countries, why bother putting through legislation if you're then going to exempt 95% of the people who would be hit by it?

[Gerald]

Traffic Problems .... yeah some "wobbling" pretty good on the road .... and the economy will suffer because they smoke ... what development,

[MH]

Why should you drive when you can fly....

[Gerald]

Originally Posted by MH

Why should you drive when you can fly....

Tell me...

[CaptainHaplo]

Originally Posted by Vendor

City authorities say drug tourists pose a threat to public order.

Get rid of the drugs and you would solve the problem. Guess that makes too much sense.

[Thomen]

Originally Posted by CaptainHaplo

Get rid of the drugs and you would solve the problem. Guess that makes too much sense.

Yea.. right.
We see how well that works in the US..

[Morts]

Originally Posted by Thomen

Yea.. right.
We see how well that works in the US..

Prohibition ?

[CaptainHaplo]

The vast amount of drugs used in the US come from outside the country. Why do you think there is such resistance to truly securing the borders? You surely didn't think it was all about immigration, did you?

The "war on drugs" in the US has been one of the biggest and longest running jokes in our history. Ranks right up there with the "war on poverty".

You want to stop drug use - you cut off all the supply.

[Gerald]

"You cut off all the supply"...no easy task but a very good option.

[MothBalls]

Originally Posted by CaptainHaplo

You want to stop drug use - you cut off all the supply.

I disagree.

You create the supply yourself and control it.

In the US we should give away free heroin, meth, and all of the addictive drugs that make junkies commit crimes. In exchange for getting it free, they have to attend short [10 minute] lectures on rehab, offer them help to kick the habit, and help them take control. Bottom line is a junkie is going to be a junkie until he/she decides to stop. Until they make that choice, give em the crap they need without forcing them into prostitution or other criminal activity that preys on society.

Then legalize and tax the crap out of recreational drugs like pot. Make is a legitimate crop, legal to import and put tariffs on. Control it like alcohol.

Then we wouldn't have drug cartels terrorizing border towns. They'd go broke. It would take all of the drug money out of the hands of organized crime and could then be controlled and possibly slowly eliminated.

[gimpy117]

[Gerald]

Deal with different drugs, that abound in the market is obviously the ideal ... but a utopia, unfortunately,

[MothBalls]

Originally Posted by CaptainHaplo

Get rid of the drugs and you would solve the problem. Guess that makes too much sense.

That doesn't change the number of people doing drugs, it just takes the money from it and gives it to criminals.