In January last year, the triangle announced that it would eventually only allow residents of the Netherlands to enter the coffee shops, in order to combat drug tourism. There were still many questions from the municipal council about this so-called resident criterion (i-criterion). Many parties feared an increase in illegal street trade by denying tourists access to coffee shops.
Now the triangle is reporting that it wants to continue with the plan. As for the triangle, a ban on sales to tourists is “a necessary intervention to cool down the cannabis market in a first step towards regulation.”
Serious crime
At the moment, about two thirds of the 166 Amsterdam coffee shops are needed to meet the demand from foreign tourists, the letter states. “Many of the major problems in the city are fueled by the cannabis market: from nuisance caused by drug tourism to serious crime and violence,” says Halsema.
The nuisance of street trade is already noticeable in the city centre, especially in the Red Light District. “Street dealers hang out on the street, harass visitors and often behave aggressively,” says Halsema. To combat this, camera surveillance is being improved in certain places. To ban dealers from the catering industry, entrepreneurs are setting up their own ‘porter network’ and a warning campaign on social media, in hotels and in public spaces is also being expanded.
Quality mark
In addition to the ban on sales to tourists, the triangle hopes to reduce and regulate the cannabis market through a quality mark for coffee shops. Shops that comply with additional rules, such as those relating to transparency, business operations and information, can receive such a quality mark. They may then have a higher trading stock and violations will be dealt with more leniently.
In addition, the municipality, the Public Prosecution Service and the police want to act more quickly against street dealers by taking their ‘daily proceeds’, bringing cases to court more quickly and using long-term area bans.
Halsema first wants to discuss the proposed measures with the new city council.