Nearly one year after Amsterdam's weed ban in Red Light District; Only 7 fines issued

Nearly one year after Amsterdam banned smoking cannabis on the Red Light District streets, the city’s enforcers have issued seven fines. Enforcement officers stuck to warnings for a long time, a spokesperson for the city told the Telegraaf reports.

Amsterdam banned lighting up a joint on the street in the old city center in May last year, or face a fine of 100 euros. It is one of the measures to reduce crowds and nuisance in the area. Almost a year later, a total of seven violators were fined for ignoring the “blowverbod.” Enforcers also issued 104 warnings and spoke to 1,200 people about smoking cannabis on the street. The figures go up to the end of February.

Amsterdam mayor Femke Halsema stressed that the fines were not a goal in themselves. Violators are only fined if they ignore a warning. The few fines show that warnings were sufficient in the vast majority of cases, making the ban “extremely successful,” the mayor said.

The VVD, the largest opposition party in Amsterdam, is still critical. According to the party, a fine would make a much more lasting impression on tourists than a friendly warning. “We can certainly go a step further. If we really want to do something about nuisance, faster fining is a necessary step,” VVD faction leader Daan Wijnants said.