Cannabis smoking ban comes into effect in Amsterdam’s red light district

A new era began in Amsterdam’s red-light district on Thursday, when the ban on smoking cannabis on the streets officially came into effect.

The ban is part of a city-wide initiative spearheaded by Mayor Femke Halsema to make the famous area more hospitable to its residents and workers.

According to Reuters, signs were “put up in the canal-lined neighborhood known for its brothels, sex clubs and marijuana cafes, which draw millions of tourists each year but are a nuisance to residents.”

Violators of the new law face a fine of €100 (about US$110).

The law was proposed by Amsterdam City Council earlier this year.

“The residents of the old town suffer greatly from mass tourism and alcohol and drug abuse on the streets. Tourists also attract street dealers, which in turn creates crime and insecurity. The atmosphere can get gloomy, especially at night. People who are under the influence of alcohol stay there for a long time. Residents cannot sleep well and the neighborhood becomes unsafe and uninhabitable,” the city council said in a statement at the time.

“A ban on smoking on the street is intended to reduce nuisance. We are also looking into a pick-up ban for soft drugs at certain times. If the nuisance does not decrease sufficiently, we will consider banning smoking on cafe terraces,” the council added.

City council finally approved the proposal earlier this month, setting the stage for Thursday.

According to Reuters, “people in the county and other parts of the city will still be allowed to smoke in and on the patios of coffee shops that sell marijuana and hash.”

The smoking ban is part of an initiative by Halsema, Amsterdam’s first mayor, to improve conditions in the red light district.

CNN reported in 2019 that Halsema presented “four options aimed at protecting sex workers from degrading conditions, fighting crime and reducing the impact of tourism in Amsterdam’s De Wallen red-light district.”

“Four scenarios were suggested for discussion, including closing the curtains on the windows so sex workers cannot be seen from the street, fewer window-style rooms, moving the brothels to new locations elsewhere in Amsterdam, and the possibility of a sex worker.” According to CNN, a “hotel” is being built. The plans aim to protect sex workers from gawking tourists and their camera phones, and also to stem the rise of abuses such as human trafficking. The four proposals will be discussed with sex workers, residents and businesses in July before being presented to City Council in September. The plans will eventually evolve into a new sex work policy, the mayor’s office confirmed.”

Known locally as the De Wallen district in Amsterdam, the Red Light District has long been a popular destination for tourists visiting the city.

CNN reported earlier this year that “an estimated 10-15% of Amsterdam’s tourism industry is based in the Red Light District”.

“City officials want the De Wallen neighborhood, as the neighborhood is known in Dutch, to attract visitors who can appreciate its unique heritage, architecture and culture, rather than sex and drugs,” CNN reported at the time. In recent years there have been numerous initiatives to curb the effects of mass tourism and disruptive visitors and to improve the region’s image.

In 2020, tours of sex workers’ windows were banned and there were talks of moving the window brothels to a neighborhood outside of the city center — talks that continue to this day.”