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Politics

The Netherlands: disappointment for drug tourists

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Michael BärFebruary 17, 2011

The new conservative government in the Netherlands has European support for its plan to restrict the country's famous marijuana-selling coffee shops to its citizens.

In 2005, the city of Maastricht barred foreigners from its hash cafes. The owner of one of those cafes challenged that decision, arguing that it represented unequal treatment of EU citizens. The European Court of Justice has rejected his argument and says Dutch authorities have the right to tell coffeeshops not to sell marijuana to foreigners. In Amsterdam in particular, some people are concerned that tourism could suffer if foreigners can no longer come to get high.
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