Amsterdam rewrites the rules: ban on marijuana smoking in Red Light District imposed

Starting from May this year, the Amsterdam authorities have implemented a ban on smoking marijuana on the Red Light District streets. The heightened law enforcement is due to a multitude of issues associated with drug use in this part of the city.

This change has been dubbed as a "historical intervention" by the local newspaper "Het Parool". The locals tired of tourists smoking marijuana on the streets of this infamous Amsterdam sector, which has gained global recognition due to its decriminalized prostitution.

"For many locals and visitors, this is a historic shift as Amsterdam was long perceived as a city where everything was possible and permissible," stated the local paper.

The City Council has almost unanimously voted to ban marijuana smoking in the Red Light District. Their motivation mainly stems from the many disputes, indecent behavior, and loud singing of tourists looking to enjoy themselves in Amsterdam.

Femke Halesma, the city's Mayor, has also announced that from April 1st, bars and restaurants can operate no later than 8 PM Eastern Time. These changes will also affect sex workers, who will be permitted to service their clientele until 9 PM Eastern Time, as opposed to the previous time limit of 6 AM local time.

For years, the Dutch capital's center, especially on weekends, has been flooded with inebriated tourists in search of drugs and other intoxicants. The most infamous among these partying tourists are the residents of the British Isles, who often visit Amsterdam for bachelor or bachelorette parties.

Amsterdam's Mayor, Femke Halsema, has consistently expressed a desire to rid the city center of reveling tourists seeking substance-fueled escapades. Last year, she announced plans to relocate the notorious Red Light District, home to the largest and most well-known collection of public houses, to the city's outlying areas.