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AMSTERDAM TOURS AND TRAVEL SINCE 1992 M a d e i n U S A  |
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AMSTERDAM NEWS
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CANNABIS CUP 2009 -- THE FINAL CUP? 2009 September 11 2009 may be the last time the Cannabis Cup is allowed to take place in Holland. Today the Dutch government agreed to overhaul current soft drugs policy and provide a draft of new policy by year's end. The Dutch government stated that cannabis coffeeshops are to become what they originally were intended to be decades ago - a place for residents to purchase small quantities of soft drugs and not large scale distributors of cannabis products to tourists. The plan is to convert cannabis coffeeshops into private clubs available only to local residents. This type of change in policy has been building for the last couple of years. Last year, magic mushrooms were made illegal after having been sold legally for years. |
Earlier this year, several Dutch border towns closed down all their coffeeshops due to the nuisance caused by thousands of tourists from Germany, France and Belgium coming to Holland only to purchase cannabis. With all the radical changes taking place, it appears more likely that 2009 may indeed be the last time a public event celebrating cannabis specifically for tourists may be allowed. We won't know for sure what's in store until the government releases it's draft of new policy at the end of the year. But if you ever wanted to experience the Cannabis Cup, you had better hurry before they shut her down. Our tour package to this year's Cannabis Cup provides everything for the thrill of a lifetime. For more information:  |
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QUEEN'S DAY POSTERS CAUSE INTERNATIONAL STIR 2009 April 24 Posters advertising this year's Queen's Day event - a celebration of the Dutch monarchy held in the entire country of Holland every April 30th - have upset numerous foreign ambassadors. The posters show doctored up photos of world leaders partying it up on Queen's Day and inviting people to "The world's best party." US President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev are shown holding hands and wearing t-shirts that say "Kiss me I'm drunk." |
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is portrayed in an orange afro wig and orange bikini celebrating in the festivities, while Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and French President Nicolas Sarkozy are shown dressed up in orange feather boas and dancing in the streets. Although many posters have been removed due to complaints from foreign ambassadors, more are making their way onto billboards throughout Amsterdam. |
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MAGIC MUSHROOMS ILLEGAL 2008 November 11 Hallucinogenic magic mushrooms will be illegal in the Netherlands starting December 1, 2008. Magic Mushrooms have been sold for years legally in Holland in so-called 'smartshops.' The Dutch government decided on the ban after considering several incidents that occurred last year with users of magic mushrooms, including a 17 year old French tourist who jumped off a bridge to her death. Other magic mushroom incidents in 2007 included: - a 29 year old Danish tourist who crazily drove his car through a camp site narrowly missing campers in tents before crashing into a concrete barrier - a 19 year old Icelandic tourist who jumped from a balcony breaking both his legs |
- a 22 year old British tourist who seriously sliced his hand after trashing his hotel room while throwing items out the window and injuring a passerby. Oddly, there was no age restriction set by authorities for buying magic mushrooms, so theoretically even a small child could legally buy them. Purchasers of cannabis however must be at least 18 years old to enter a coffeeshop. The new magic mushrooms law is the latest effort to reverse Holland's soft drugs policy. Last month authorities in two Dutch border towns announced they will shut down all their coffeeshops come February. In recent years, alcohol sales became outlawed in cannabis coffeeshops, and the amount of cannabis allowed for purchase in one day by a person in a coffeeshop dropped from 30 grams to the current limit of 5 grams. |
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POLICE INTERVENING ON SOFT DRUGS 2008 August 25 In another sign of the growing intolerance towards soft drugs in the Netherlands, police conducted random searches on people attending the Mystery Land dance festival at the weekend. |
Police confiscated any cannabis and magic mushrooms found, even though technically these soft drugs are tolerated. |
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COFFEESHOPS FACE BAN 2008 March 14 This week witnessed a historic debate in the current conservative Dutch parliament which threatens to ban the famous cannabis coffeeshops and magic mushroom smartshops. Under current Dutch law, 'soft' drugs are illegal but 'tolerated,' meaning under certain conditions they are allowed to be sold and possessed without prosecution. Soft drugs include cannabis, hash, and fresh magic mushrooms. Dried magic mushrooms were reclassified as a hard drug not long ago. The parliamentary debate this week included a promise by the Justice Minister of the country to introduce new legislation later in the year outlawing all products for growing cannabis. Currently items such as cannabis seeds are widely sold in the Netherlands. Cannabis grow kits are sold openly at flower markets and even some grocery stores in Amsterdam.  |
 A no cannabis smoking sign on a street corner in Amsterdam. This sign could soon apply to the entire country. Last year in Amsterdam, several high profile incidents occurred with users of hallucinogenic 'magic' mushrooms. This led to government ministers deciding to end the sale of magic mushrooms. It hasn't happened yet, but considering the latest drugs debate in parliament and the fact that the coalition government now ruling the country is the most conservative in many years, a total ban may be imminent. Also last year, the city of Amsterdam purchased a large group of buildings in the Red Light District which were used as brothels. The buildings will be converted for other usage. This effectively shrunk the Red Light District by a third. These recent developments signal a whirlwind of change approaching some of the most curious tourist attractions in Amsterdam and the world. |
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