coffeeshop
photo: ANP

Today the Dutch government has decided to introduce a mandatory membership scheme for coffeeshops. Each coffeeshop can accept 1000 to 1500 registered members who willl need a ‘wiet pas’ (weed pass) to enter the coffeeshop. Only Dutch nationals will be allowed to become members. The idea behind the weed pass is to turn coffeeshops into private clubs and to avoid foreigners to come to the Netherlands to buy drugs. Some large cities like Amsterdam are against the government’s plan and think this plan will provoke illegal trade of marihuana and other drugs in the streets.