Coffee-shops to be Shut in Dutch Towns to Ward Off 'Drug Tourists'

Two Dutch towns said Thursday they planned to close their cannabis smoking coffee-shops after admitting that an influx of up to 25,000 French and Belgian drug tourists each week had become too much.

In a welcome development, two Dutch towns have announced plans to close their cannabis smoking coffee-shops after admitting that an influx of up to 25,000 French and Belgian "drug tourists" each week had become too much.

Local authorities in southwestern Roosendaal and Bergen-op-Doom announced they could no longer cope with the "drug tourists" whose presence they blamed for traffic congestion, crime and unlicensed dealing.

Drug Abuse | Drug Addiction | Substance Abuse - Overview
The use of Drugs for reasons other than its prescribed recommendation, is known as Drug abuse or substance abuse. Drug abuse or substance abuse is initiated by various biological and social factors.

"Soft drug tourism is the motor of criminality linked to (harder) drugs," they said in a joint statement. "It has an overwhelming negative effect on public order."

All eight coffee-shops in the two towns will shut, with closures beginning in February 2009.

"The mayor of Roosendaal thinks we could close them all within two years," town hall spokeswoman Marjolein Koppens told AFP.

Alcohol Use Disorder | Alcoholism
Alcohol use disorder or alcoholism is an inability to control drinking. It can cause short term and long term physical, as well as psychological effects on the patient.

Until then, all local coffee-shops will be forced to limit the sale of cannabis to two grammes (0.07 ounces) per customer per day instead of the current five grammes.

Liberal drugs laws in the Netherlands allow people to carry five grammes of marijuana on their person without being prosecuted.

Research: Federal Anti-Drug Ad Campaign Did Not Work
A national campaign’s anti-drug TV ads failed to convince young children and teenagers to stay away from marijuana, a new research has found.

Another border town, Terneuzen, announced Wednesday it would toughen its local by-laws on the sale of cannabis from May next year. Opening hours would be restricted and the amount each customer could buy would also be reduced.

Source-AFP
RAS/SK

Behaviour Risks Increase If Teens Use Drugs and Alcohol Early in Life
Children who try drugs or alcohol before age 15 run a greater risk of being substance-dependent as adults, contracting sexually transmitted diseases, dropping out of school or being