The Amsterdam Herald

Deal struck in Maastricht that could let tourists back into cannabis cafes

Details: Category: News-wietpas; Created on Tuesday, 21 May 2013 17:28; Written by Gordon Darroch

Maastricht’s mayor Onno Hoes has reached a compromise with the city council that could see foreigners allowed back into coffeeshops.

Maastricht's coffeeshops could soon be open to non-residents again once they have moved out of the city centre. The deal is aimed at ending a long-running dispute in the city over the regulation of the cannabis cafes which has led to a series of police raids over the last two weeks.

Two weeks ago coffeeshop owners said they would no longer turn away Belgian and German visitors in an explicit challenge to Hoes’s policy of only allowing Dutch residents in.

Coffeeshop owners warn wietpas is not dead despite Amsterdam's 'open door' policy

Details: Category: News-wietpas; Created on Friday, 02 November 2012 12:34; Written by Amsterdam Herald

Photo by Andre Bulber

The head of Maastricht’s coffeeshop association has said he will continue to fight the Dutch government’s plan to exclude foreigners from the cannabis cafes.

Coffeeshop visitors can still be asked to show proof that they live in the Netherlands. Marc Josemans said that despite Amsterdam’s announcement that tourists would still be welcome, the ‘wietpas’ rules themselves had hardly changed.

Under the new coalition deal agreed by Liberal (VVD) leader Mark Rutte and Labour (PvdA) leader Diederik Samsom, coffeeshops will no longer have to keep registers of members.

Business as usual for Amsterdam coffeeshops as mayor says tourists are welcome

Details: Category: News-wietpas; Created on Thursday, 01 November 2012 10:16; Written by Amsterdam Herald

Photo by thisislike

Tourists will continue to be able to visit Amsterdam’s coffeeshops next year after the new government relaxed the rules on entry to Dutch cannabis cafes.

Tourists will continue to be able to walk into coffeeshops such as the Tweede Kamer in Amsterdam. The government says it will scrap the much-criticised “wietpas” law, which turned coffeeshops into tightly regulated private members’ clubs that only registered Dutch residents can visit.

In theory coffeeshop users will still have to show proof that they live in the Netherlands, but the decision on how to police the system will rest with town halls.

Friesland councillors support move to legalise cannabis production

Details: Category: News-wietpas; Created on Wednesday, 06 March 2013 11:18; Written by Amsterdam Herald

Photo by nadiology

Cannabis production could be legalised for the first time in the Netherlands after councillors in Friesland backed the idea of regulated marijuana farms.

Joint initiative: Smallingerland wants to lobby justice minister Ivo Opstelten to allow regulated cannabis production. The municipality in Smallingerland hopes that by setting up a legal supply route it can reduce the criminality and disorder associated with drug dealing.

Councillors approved a proposal to open discussions with coffeeshop owners to regulate cannabis production at a meeting on Tuesday.

Ban on hemp plant sellers attacked as 'wietpas part two'

Details: Category: News-wietpas; Created on Tuesday, 02 April 2013 16:07; Written by Amsterdam Herald

Photo by Luis Parravicini

Plans to outlaw wholesale cannabis cultivation in so-called ‘growshops’ have been approved by the Dutch Parliament.

The Dutch government wants to restrict cultivation of cannabis to cut out illegal suppliers. The measure is designed to take the unauthorised growshops out of the supply chain, but campaign groups say it will have the opposite effect by criminalising legal suppliers.