Dutch pot sales to foreigners go up in smoke

[Hum]

(Reuters) - The reputation of the Netherlands as the go-to country for a legal joint will begin to vanish like a puff of smoke next year as sales to foreigners of cannabis and hashish in coffee shops are banned.

The Dutch government has been clamping down on the sale of soft drugs since 2007 because of gang-related crime and concern about the risk to health, particularly as stronger forms of cannabis have been introduced.

"The Dutch drugs policy's appeal to foreign users has to be reduced," Dutch Security and Justice Minister Ivo Opstelten said in a letter to parliament.

"Drug use by minors will be strongly discouraged and in particular, vulnerable young people will be protected against drug use," the minister added.

The new rules, which will first take effect in the south and gradually be extended countrywide, limit sales of cannabis to residents of the Netherlands who must enroll as members of a coffee shop, the minister said.

The rules will come into effect from January 1, 2012, but will not be enforced until May 1.

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[J_R_G]

There go my vacation plans.. :(

[Steven P. Administrators]

Well done for forcing it back underground /sarcasm

As someone who lives there (and doesn't do drugs) I see these sorts of problems relating to hard drugs all the time, and now it's being extended to soft-drugs.

[Redmak Administrators]

Phew... alcohol is still in the clear

[Glassed Silver]

Well done for forcing it back underground /sarcasm

As someone who lives there (and doesn't do drugs) I see these sorts of problems relating to hard drugs all the time, and now it's being extended to soft-drugs.

This.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Phew... alcohol is still in the clear

Yepp, they are hypocrites for that!

Ban alcohol sales! </s>

Guess two things will eventually happen (bit joking here, take with a grain of salt :p):

a) "find a dutch buddy" sites will arise! :p

b) tourism goes down :D

Glassed Silver:mac

[Hum]

Phew... alcohol is still in the clear

^ I'll drink to that :wacko:

[Soulsiphon]

It doesn't matter anymore. With my medical marijuana card in hand I can go to downtown Seattle, or any surrounding area for that matter, and in minutes find dispensaries that rival any Dutch pot-shop. Most of the strains grown state-side now are the direct result of seeds obtained from Dutch seed banks anyway.

Guess we'll just spend that hard-earned vacation money at Disneyland rather than jetting all the way to Amsterdam.

[Knife Party]

meh, self production is way better anyway, its alot of fun anyway :D

[Original Poster]

bubububub ...... bubububuuuuutttttt DRUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGSSSSSSS :'( I wanted to go there soon and get high and sleep with hoes :(

[Knife Party]

bubububub ...... bubububuuuuutttttt DRUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGSSSSSSS :'( I wanted to go there soon and get high and sleep with hoes :(

its still uber easy to get your smoke' on

[Hollow.Droid]

Balls. At least Amsterdam isn't affected until 2013 but still :(