Blow to red light tourists: cannabis smoking banned in public
Amsterdam is a city that’s built on freedom, but it’s often misused by people who want to just make money, or want to party
Thursday, May 25, 2023
Smoking cannabis in public is forbidden in the centre of Amsterdam from Thursday, as part of a raft of measures to restrain party tourism. In the Burgwallen Oude-Zijde central area, tourists and residents smoking cannabis in public now risk a €100 fine. On streets such as the Oudezijds Achterburgwal – brimming with prostitution windows, bars, ‘cannabis museums’ and erotic shows – signs warn tourists of the new ban in English and in Dutch. The council has introduced a set of measures, including earlier closing times for brothels and bars, a crackdown on alcohol sales in the red light district, a “stay away” advertising campaign to deter nuisance visitors and now the ban on smoking cannabis in public. (See also: Smoke signals: will public cannabis ban deter nuisance tourism?)
