Friday, October 24, 2008

8 Dutch coffee shops closing near Belgian Border

Eight Coffee shops in the Netherlands close to the border are closing in Februari 2009. The (official bullshit) intention behind it is to stop drug tourism.

The sale of cannabis is officially forbidden in the Netherlands, but is allowed under a few conditions. The "Justice Departement" leaves the coffee shops alone that way. Alcohol is not allowed to be sold in coffee shops since last year. Hilariously, tobacco cannot be smoked either anymore in coffee shops.

According to the Dutch press bureau ANP the coffee shops attract around 25.000 Belgian and French drug tourists each year.

"Because of the closure" an end has come to the current drug policy. The rules will become more strict, shops will only be allowed to have 300 instead of 500 grams. And customers will only be allowed to buy 2 instead of 5 grams.

In one border city the coffee shops won't close, but all customers will be registered.

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