No more Cannabis for tourists in the Netherlands

[gigabyte056]

Cannabis ban

Apparently the Dutch have had enough, guess it will have a hit on tourism.

[mazolaman]

Ahhhhh,those were heady days.

In seriousness,I used to go quite a bit,to Amsterdam.Back when I was interesting.

The first few times I found a quiet,happy,peaceful place.People smoked marujauna,slaept with legitimate prostitutes,and everybody played fair.

Some time later,the last time I went,the "stag do" set had arrived,and Amsterdam had changed to more of a drinking city.I noticed much more noise,violence,and generally bad behaviour.

If there is a fault in Amsterdam,it is due to stag parties and drink.

There is a far more serious undertone to this.

The far right is gaining more and more in countries like the Nederlands,Denmark,Sweden....etc.

this is one more law that illustrates the puritanical isolationist stance many nations are taking.

[CBL]

These laws are more to prevent drug tourism from people from bordering countries like Belgium & Germany who cross the border for drugs and import them back to their countries.

Weed has never really been legal in The Netherlands, it's just "tolerated"

[CaptainQuintero]

It seems more of a reaction to what the city has become, instead of what people think it is like (relaxed friendly dutch people on bikes laughing and having fun) it's changed to a very seedy and sometimes very dangerous place rife with eastern european drug/sex gangs. I think it's more of an attempt to stop that than 'BAN THE DRUGS THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!'

[bassman]

Had some great times there in the 90s. Nepalese Temple Balls were the way to go.

[gigabyte056]

Had some great times there in the 90s. Nepalese Temple Balls were the way to go.

I had some good times there in the late 90's.

Last time I was there was a year ago on business and the city has changed for the worst, the all red light district became very seedy and felt dangerous some how.

maybe I am getting old.

[Ghabanos]

What??? Haven't read this yet, but I guess it is already effective or do I sill have time for one more trip. Too bad. Just one less reason to go for many tourists.

[CaptainQuintero]

What??? Haven't read this yet, but I guess it is already effective or do I sill have time for one more trip. Too bad. Just one less reason to go for many tourists.

For quite a few years the people 'in the know' have been going to other towns in Holland which took up the torch of old Amsterdam. Those towns will still be exactly the same all that is happening is Amsterdam is being made more safe. To be fair Amsterdam is now just a trashy, tacky and unsafe place which is caused by the 'drug tourist' trade, I can't blame them for wanting to take their city back.

For example I have a friend who lost one of his kidneys during his stag do in Amsterdam, no joke he woke up in a back street with one cut out of him..

[Ghabanos]

For quite a few years the people 'in the know' have been going to other towns in Holland which took up the torch of old Amsterdam. Those towns will still be exactly the same all that is happening is Amsterdam is being made more safe. To be fair Amsterdam is now just a trashy, tacky and unsafe place which is caused by the 'drug tourist' trade, I can't blame them for wanting to take their city back.

For example I have a friend who lost one of his kidneys during his stag do in Amsterdam, no joke he woke up in a back street with one cut out of him..

Serious? I know that this has always been an urban legend in Asia (china especially), but that must of been shocking to say the least to know pretty much first hand that this actually happens...

[CaptainQuintero]

Serious? I know that this has always been an urban legend in Asia (china especially), but that must of been shocking to say the least to know pretty much first hand that this actually happens...

Yeah it was about six years ago so shows how the situation changed even back then. He got lost along the way on the night out and the rest of the guys thought he would just turn up the next morning at the hotel. Eventually the police found him and got him to a hospital, made a recovery and is ok now but still. I didn't believe it myself when first got told, it's like a story from a horror film like Hostel etc

I think its all linked to the eastern european crime gangs, they have become really prevalent with people/drug smuggling etc

[CBL]

When you go to Amsterdam you get what you're looking for. If you want a nice day of parks and museums and all that stuff, you can find it. But if you're looking for excess and decadence you'll can find it as well but in different parts of the city and you'll meet different people.... It might be a little tacky now with tourist driven madness, but it's neither dangerous nor trashy.

At the end of the day the most dangerous people in Amsterdam are the cab drivers

[gigabyte056]

For example I have a friend who lost one of his kidneys during his stag do in Amsterdam, no joke he woke up in a back street with one cut out of him..

Captain,

I will agree that the city is not safe, but have you met the friend whose kidney was stolen?

Did you personally talk to him?

The kidney stolen myth is prevalent back from the early 90's, see here:

Urban myth

just my 2 cents

[brutusthebuckeye]

Looks like Amesterdam is off my list!!!!

I like smoking weed with BOTH my kidneys

[CBL]

I like smoking weed with BOTH my kidneys

Man I couldn't figure out your sentence at first, I kept thinking you were writing BOTH as in Brothers of the Herb.......

[CaptainQuintero]

Captain,

I will agree that the city is not safe, but have you met the friend whose kidney was stolen?

Did you personally talk to him?

The kidney stolen myth is prevalent back from the early 90's, see here:

Urban myth

just my 2 cents

I completely understand your sceptism! It happened to the husband (to be) of my biology teacher when I was in my last year of high school. True I wouldn't exactly call them my friends on second thoughts but unless it was a dastardly plan to get time off work and she was a good actor I tend to believe her. Of course there is the posibility that she made the story up for nefarious reasons.

Hasn't put me off visiting either, I wouldnt go out getting trashed in dark alleys in any city and expect to come out unscathed

[rfenst]

For quite a few years the people 'in the know' have been going to other towns in Holland which took up the torch of old Amsterdam.

Which cities?

[CaptainQuintero]

Which cities?

I've no idea I've never been interested in pot lol. I have a friend who goes every few years though, the towns he goes to are to the North of Amsterdam I think, all the old hippies moved out there when Amsterdam got turned into a drug tourism spot.

[dicko]

ah bogans wrecking things for everyone else. I bet aussies, brits and yank tourists are some of the worst offenders.

[mazolaman]

ah bogans wrecking things for everyone else. I bet aussies, brits and yank tourists are some of the worst offenders.

Yep,and Germans.

I think Groningen is still pretty peaceful.

Amsterdam is still a wonderful city to visit,with the beauty of the canals,museums,etc.There is more to the place than sex and drugs.

As I mentioned earlier,the thing that ruined the peaceful vibe there was the Stag party set......beered up and violent.Many European cities have found themselves suffering due to this,ie Prague,Talinn etc.

[davidl]

So..I posted this link on my facebook account, and it sure got a lot of responses. Turns out that my brother saw the article, and got on the first plane he could get to Amsterdam...go figure

Thanks smokeninpeace...

[gigabyte056]

So..I posted this link on my facebook account, and it sure got a lot of responses. Turns out that my brother saw the article, and got on the first plane he could get to Amsterdam...go figure

Thanks smokeninpeace...

Tell your borther I like the Behika 54....

Just kidding, it is good to know some one is still having fun and living it up.