Smoke It Pure: It's the Law
New Dutch law: Employees need protection from tobacco but marijuana is OK.
AMSTERDAM, The Netherlands, July 1, 2008 -- Starting today, it's illegal to smoke cigarettes in any of Amsterdam's coffee shops. But smoking marijuana is still allowed.
The Netherlands is the latest European country to ban tobacco smoking from public places - including restaurants, bars and clubs - to protect the health of employees. But in a country known for its relaxed policies toward "soft" drugs like marijuana, many are scratching their heads.
"It's totally illogical," said Charly Moinet, one of the managers at the Greenhouse, a popular coffee shop for tourists. "It doesn't make sense to allow marijuana but not tobacco, especially because most people mix the two in the same joint."
Technically, it's illegal to possess drugs in the Netherlands, but authorities have long turned a blind eye to possessing marijuana for personal use.
There are some rules, however: Cannabis products can only be bought in specially licensed "coffee shops," minors are never allowed to purchase, and you can't buy more than five grams at a time.
Coffee shops are popular with tourists, especially with Americans and Europeans eager to take advantage of the lenient drug policies.
"Amsterdam is one of the most liberal cities in the world," said Jay Palacio, a college student from Florida, "and as long as it's legal to smoke marijuana, Americans will never stop coming here."
The 4.2 million tourists who visit Amsterdam each year add millions to the city's economy. And close to 26 percent of tourists visit the city's 236 coffee shops, according to the Amsterdam Tourism Board.
The question on the minds of many coffee shop owners is what the tobacco ban will mean for business.
"It won't affect the Americans," said Betra Karamoy, a manager at the Kadinsky Coffee Shop. "Americans smoke it pure anyway. They don't roll it with tobacco. The people who will have a hard time are Europeans."
John Rousso, 25, took time off from work in London to visit Amsterdam with his friends. He says he's not sure where he'll smoke because he prefers joints rolled with both marijuana and tobacco.
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