Towards a smoking ban in Amsterdam's old city center in mid-May?

Starting in mid-May, Amsterdam’s old city center, De Wallen—the part of the city that includes the Red Light District—could see a ban on outdoor cannabis use, it was announced Mayor Femke Halsema in a press release.

The smoking ban is part of a series of measures aimed at preventing disturbances caused by tourists, along with restrictions on the sale of alcohol and on the hours during which «display windows» are open.

https://twitter.com/AmsterdamNL/status/1623709525910904836

Ban on Cannabis Use in the Red Light District

The press release, as reported by CannabisIndustrie.nl stipulates that:

«Banning the use of soft drugs in public spaces should reduce public nuisances. In addition, the Commission will examine whether a ban on the purchase of soft drugs from 4:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. on Thursdays through Sundays is legally feasible and enforceable. If public disturbances do not decrease sufficiently with the smoking ban, the possibility of banning cannabis use on the patios of local coffeeshops will also be explored.»

For now, therefore, only a smoking ban will be in effect. The City of Amsterdam is still considering whether a ban on purchasing cannabis from 4:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. on Thursdays through Sundays is feasible.

The announcement comes as no surprise. The plan had been presented in late November by Alderman Sofyan Mbarki. These measures follow the citizens« initiative »Amsterdam Has a Choice,” which received 30,000 statements of support in 2020.

«Residents of the old city center are structurally and excessively inconvenienced by the crowds and disturbances caused by mass tourism and drug use in public spaces,» the city stated. «These measures are part of the package of measures announced last year to combat crowds and disturbances in the red-light district,» the city continued. These problems prevent residents from sleeping at night, reduce their quality of life, and undermine «the safety of the entire neighborhood.»

For now, the residency requirement (i-criterion), which would prevent tourists from entering coffee shops, was not mentioned.