Netherlands Smoking Ban Kicks in July 1st, 2008…Only on Tobacco
Effective July 1st, the Netherlands will be joining several other EU countries in banning smoking inside all restaurants, bars and clubs. But of course, since it’s the Netherlands there is a wonderful kicker, the ban is only on tobacco!
For awhile, many people were concerned that the smoking ban would bring an end to the Netherlands famous “coffee shops.” And if this were the case, come July 1st, some 200 businesses in Amsterdam alone would be no longer.
The future of coffee shops in the Netherlands is still an uncertain one, but for the time being they will be safe. Patrons will still be allowed to buy and smoke marijuana in designated coffee shops but they will not be allowed to smoke tobacco. The enforcement of that will be interesting I’m sure!
I must say that as a smoker and a new resident to the Netherlands, I just find the smoking ban to be very un-European. For the moment you can still smoke cigarettes in just about every sit down restaurant in the country, but in a week it will be no more. Another freedom in another country gone.
So for anyone interested in visiting the Netherlands and checking out the unique coffee shop culture, buy your tickets soon. The days on those are numbered and one day soon they will be a fun little tale about the way things used to be.
photo credit: personal collection
2 Comments
Having been to Amsterdam a few times recently, and frequenting mainly the traditional “Brown bars” it seems to me that both patrons and proprietors of these establishments are going to have some serious lifestyle change. Being able to smoke in these places was a joy and now that avenue of pleasure is being closed off.
Hey Philip-Yes, it’s going to be a big change! But I have a feeling that a lot of small bars will ignore the new law. Hopefully!
And as for the green coffee shops cracking down on people smoking tobacco, I highly doubt it. lol