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16 December 2010
Last updated at 05:44 ET
The European Court of Justice has ruled that Dutch authorities can bar foreigners from the country's cannabis-selling coffee shops.
The court said the city of Maastricht was within its rights when it passed a 2005 law stopping foreigners entering cafes that sell marijuana.
The law was aimed at curbing so-called drug tourists who drove from Belgium and Germany to buy marijuana.
There are some 700 coffee shops in the Netherlands.
The cultivation and sale of soft drugs through coffee shops is decriminalised but not legal.
The Netherlands' centre-right coalition government plans to turn coffee shops into private members' clubs amid concerns about the threat drug tourism poses to the Dutch way of life.
But critics say the plan violates EU rules which guarantees a free market in goods and services.
Cannabis use in the Netherlands is tolerated in small amounts, with possession and purchases limited to 5g per adult, regardless of the consumer's nationality.
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The court said the city of Maastricht was within its rights when it passed a 2005 law stopping foreigners entering cafes that sell marijuana.
The law was aimed at curbing so-called drug tourists who drove from Belgium and Germany to buy marijuana.
There are some 700 coffee shops in the Netherlands.
The cultivation and sale of soft drugs through coffee shops is decriminalised but not legal.
The Netherlands' centre-right coalition government plans to turn coffee shops into private members' clubs amid concerns about the threat drug tourism poses to the Dutch way of life.
But critics say the plan violates EU rules which guarantees a free market in goods and services.
Cannabis use in the Netherlands is tolerated in small amounts, with possession and purchases limited to 5g per adult, regardless of the consumer's nationality.
Powered by WizardRSS | Work At Home Jobs