-tourists who wander with glazed eyes” and scare away cultural travelers: the city has introduced a ban on the use of marijuana in public places to stop unmanaged tourism and restore peace to the locals.
In the red light district of a European city, smoking marijuana on the streets and other public places is now prohibited. This decision is made to contain the rampant tourist parties that are causing problems for the city. For violation of the ban on marijuana smoking in the central district of Burgwallen-Oude-Zijde, a fine of 100 euros (about 8.6 thousand rubles) is provided. No marijuana warning signs have now been installed throughout the area to let visitors know about the new rules.
The move was part of a broader initiative called “Respectful Visit” that was initiated by the locals of Amsterdam. They expressed their dissatisfaction with the vector of development of the tourism sector, which brings more problems than benefits. In their opinion, the city has become an arena for hedonistic antics. Additional measures have also been taken as part of the initiative, including earlier closings of bars and brothels, and a ban on the sale of alcohol in stores at the weekend.
Local Labor Party leader PvdA, Lian Heinhuis, told Dutch News that the marijuana ban is of great importance to the city. He also expressed support for an outright ban on the sale of cannabis to tourists, as it could help deal with the presence of “glazed-eyed zombie tourists” who are negatively affecting the overall atmosphere and well-being of the Dutch capital. “Amsterdam is a city built on freedom, but this is often abused by those who are looking for profit or parties. We are a city, not an amusement park,” he concluded.
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