Amsterdam Coffee Shops to Be Cut by 20%
November 21st, 2008 by Alex
Sad news for the residents and frequenters of Amsterdam, and specifically bad for connoisseurs of the green leaf everywhere – Amsterdam will be closing 20% of its coffee shops. And no, not the Starbucks.
Mayor Job Cohen made the announcement before a national ‘weed summit’ was set to start. They aren’t being closed due to adjusted legal standing, but instead due to their proximity to schools and children. Any shop within 273 yards (250 meters) of a school has to shut its doors by 2011 unless a successful appeal gets them off the hook.
Just like America, the legality and use of marijuana in the Netherlands is very murky. Technically, it’s not legal, but in specific shops you can purchase up to 5 grams. Then again, growing is illegal, which makes sourcing the buds a challenge. You also have ‘pot tourism’ to worry about – citizens of neighboring countries traveling into the Dutch cities just to buy marijuana and leave.
Although this doesn’t take effect immediately, this new announcement places pot on an even shakier foundation in the city most known for its tolerance. Of course, we’ll keep you updated as appeals roll in and more debate starts on the topic.
