Why Does Amsterdam Want To Ban Tourists From Cannabis Cafes?

Amsterdam is regularly seen as the liberal and forward-thinking city to gain access to drugs that are usually illicit in other countries, making it a prime destination for experimenting with different substances.

But, many of these “fantasy” images of Amsterdam are bringing more harm than good. Now, the city is attempting to ban tourists from cannabis cafes to “weed out” the rowdy hooligans that disrupt these locations and their surroundings.

According to Mayor Femke Halsema, reported by Cannabis Life Network, she said bad behavior shown by tourists is the prime reason why the city is opting to ban them from cafes. She explained how tourists should be coming to Amsterdam to experience the city’s “richness, beauty, and cultural institution.” However, the issue is the number of tourists that demand marijuana upon arrival.

This news isn’t new, as Halsema first proposed the ban in 2020. The city is currently looking to change its tourism strategies to bring in more “wholesome” tourists rather than those trying to escape the regulations of their native country/state.

Amsterdam has already enacted many initiatives to propose reform and help the city’s “over-tourism,” which starts with the type of tourists that come to visit. An example of this is banning short-term rentals like Airbnb in the historic center, but courts recently overturned this ruling.

More attempts are to move Amsterdam’s red-light district outside of the city and into the outskirts. Halsema continued that the city is striving to change the international image of Amsterdam as the “drug capital of the world.” If they are successful, Halsema believes the city will bring in a different crowd to ensure it becomes “more liveable.”

The reputation these tourists have created for themselves is truly embarrassing; Cannabis Life Network reports that these destructive behaviors and party animal antics include tourists vomiting out of windows, dressing up in offensive costumes, and incoherently stumbling through the city urinating on the streets.

Amsterdam’s tourism authority has made many attempts to tackle the city’s over-tourism issue with awareness campaigns. These initiatives attempt to remind tourists that appropriate behavior is required, which follows complaints from residents of noise, disturbance, and disruption.

However, the city’s reputation as a liberal and party destination will most likely stay around, and officials are worried that these cannabis cafe bans would lead tourists to street dealers and other illicit market alternatives.

We want to remind anyone heading to any country that treating the land with respect like your own is a must, especially since you’re representing your homeland and shaping the reputation these countries have on where you come from.