Tourists Banned From Dutch Cannabis Cafes

PMKeates · 28 Apr 2012 at 11:18

It's kind of a shame really.

arknor · 28 Apr 2012 at 11:19

rz30 said:
Amazed that they ever allowed drugs to be taken in first place.

lolwut? its a natural herb , a gift from god.

unlike alcohol and other **** in this country that ruins lives

Freefaller · 28 Apr 2012 at 11:25

Alcohol is naturally occurring too you know

One · 28 Apr 2012 at 11:39

It does feel a bit odd that I can no longer do something somewhere because of where I am from. It's reminiscent of the restrictions Nazi Germany placed on Jewish people in the run up to the second world war.

james.miller · 28 Apr 2012 at 11:43

weed made no different to my stay there at all. Wasn't interested in it, but it being there didn't affect me in any way. I don't really understand why people would avoid Amsterdam because of it.

Kenai · 28 Apr 2012 at 11:51

desires said:
It does feel a bit odd that I can no longer do something somewhere because of where I am from. It's reminiscent of the restrictions Nazi Germany placed on Jewish people in the run up to the second world war.

Best get yourself into hiding before those crazy dutch load you onto a cattle train to the gas houses then.

HAz · 28 Apr 2012 at 11:51

Anyone who goes there for the sole purpouse to smoke drugs legally has got to be pretty sad and im sure that sort of person will not be missed by the dutch.

orderoftheflame · 28 Apr 2012 at 11:51

desires said:
It does feel a bit odd that I can no longer do something somewhere because of where I am from. It's reminiscent of the restrictions Nazi Germany placed on Jewish people in the run up to the second world war.

Well, that's an opportunity to invoke Godwin's Law if I ever saw it.

Kenai · 28 Apr 2012 at 11:53

james.miller said:
weed made no different to my stay there at all. Wasn't interested in it, but it being there didn't affect me in any way. I don't really understand why people would avoid Amsterdam because of it.

Well because they don't want to spend their holiday going somewhere that attracts large amounts of potheads, the same way some people will avoid places like Ibiza because it attracts large amounts of partying drunkards etc.

Perception has more to do with it than reality in all likelihood but if that perception can be changed, you can hardly blame them for wanting to try.

dirtychinchilla · 28 Apr 2012 at 12:06

HAz said:
Anyone who goes there for the sole purpouse to smoke drugs legally has got to be pretty sad and im sure that sort of person will not be missed by the dutch.

Perhaps people who enjoy alternative methods of intoxication would like to enjoy it with the same liberties as any alcohol drinker has in the UK.

Housey · 28 Apr 2012 at 12:09

But I can still eat the daffodils right?

RomanNose · 28 Apr 2012 at 12:13

I think there is more harm for prohibition than cannabis, it costs the police a lot of time time and money to enforce this ban. And I don't think the increase in cannabis use outweighs the amount of money we spend on the ban.

RomanNose · 28 Apr 2012 at 12:17

Moses said:
They just have to make sure shops are selling correctly. The shops will regulate themselves, when they know they can lose their licence (look at shops in the UK... we don't have policemen standing at the checkouts... we just have staff who ask for ID, because they know they get sacked if they don't!)

I am not talking about in Amsterdam, they wouldn't be drug tourism if it was legal in other countries.
Imo if alcohol was banned it would actually cause more harm than good, the cost of enforcing these bans is enormous and wastes so much police time.
With other drugs such as heroin and cocaine, the bans are worthwhile but not for soft drugs.

TheOtherOption · 28 Apr 2012 at 12:23

Can't say I've had any issues with cannabis the several times I've stayed in Amsterdam and other Dutch cities, as james.miller said there's a lot lot more to the place than drugs!

Not something that even crossed my mind (or my friends minds) on any of our trips ...

StonedPenguin · 28 Apr 2012 at 12:27

Dutch government will lose out on billions... They will realise this when they enforce the new law in the south of Holland, I cant see it ever coming to Amsterdam tbh. They've been saying this for years and something has always puts it back a few more years.

Bottom line; Canna should be legal, End of. (In UK)

TwsT · 28 Apr 2012 at 12:36

james.miller said:
There's a LOT more to Amsterdam than cannabis.

yeah and we know what that is hawr hawr.

nah seriously Amsterdam was a lovely trip for me been to Holland itself a few times.

Of course the cannabis experience had a factor ( I first went with college).

Gouda is a nice place to visit. As is Harlem. I canoed from Harlem to Amsterdam was pretty interesting and very peaceful trip.

One · 28 Apr 2012 at 12:47

Kenai said:
Best get yourself into hiding before those crazy dutch load you onto a cattle train to the gas houses then.

In the run up, as in the early thirties! I am by no means suggesting it's on par with the holocaust.

steve-h · 28 Apr 2012 at 12:54

Strong irrationality and hate for freedom in this thread.

simulatorman said:
Now the real tourists can come and enjoy themselves.

What stopped you in the past? People smoking pot? :eek:

Moses said:
Weed ruins lives, too .

So do cheese burgers.

HAz said:
Anyone who goes there for the sole purpouse to smoke drugs legally has got to be pretty sad.

Why? The bud there is generally better and there's a lovely relaxed atmosphere...

StonedPenguin · 28 Apr 2012 at 12:59

Agree ^^

Legalise it.

Mason- · 28 Apr 2012 at 13:07

G-MAN2004 said:
Have to agree with this.

Why, being a tourist is to see what a country has to offer. Fair enough some tourists don't want to see some parts of a country they visit, but some tourists might want to see the coffee shops. After all they are in Holland and not in the UK, so for UK tourists to go to Holland it is something to see. Saying it's better for the tourists is stupid and short-sighted of you. You can enjoy Amsterdam weed or not.