Cannabis Coffee Shop - Drug Tourism

Drug Tourism

Each municipality has a coffee shop policy. Some do not allow any; most of these municipalities are either controlled by strict Protestant parties, or are bordering Belgium and Germany and do not wish to receive "drug tourism" from those countries. A March 19, 2005 article in the Observer noted that the number of Dutch cannabis coffee shops had dropped from 1,500 to 750 over the previous five years, largely due to pressure from the conservative coalition government. The "no-growth" policies of many Dutch cities affect new licensing. This policy slowly reduces the number of coffeeshops, since no one can open a new one after a closure. Most municipalities have designated a certain zone (e.g. around schools and high schools) where coffeeshops are not allowed, which may be from a hundred metres to several kilometres.

The municipality of Terneuzen has put up road signs showing the way to the coffeeshops. The same town has recently decided to restrict local by-laws for cannabis from May 2009. In Maastricht the coffee shops are forbidden for foreign tourists. A controversial measure to introduce a "wietpas" (Dutch) or "weed-pass" membership system — pushed primarily by Christian political parties within the Dutch coalition government - has been proposed; this pass would restrict coffee shop cannabis sales to residents of the Netherlands with a membership card only. The ban for foreign tourists started in three southern provinces on May 1, and is due to go nationwide by the end of 2012. Despite strong protests from coffee shop owners, a judge in the Netherlands has upheld a new law to ban foreign tourists from entering cannabis cafes. Lawyers representing the coffee shop owners have promised to appeal the ruling, and protests are continuing.