Maastricht coffee-shops a ‘no go’ for cannabis tourists

Around 2.7 million tourists a year who visited Maastricht’s 14 coffee shops will have to look elsewhere for their cannabis, as the Court of Justice of the European Union upheld a ruling that prohibits non-Dutch residents from entering those venues.

“The rules are intended to put an end to the public nuisance caused by the large number of tourists wanting to purchase or consume cannabis in the coffee-shops in the municipality of Maastricht,” the court ruled, according to a press release published on its website.

Marc Michel Josemans, whose “Easy Going” coffee-shop was temporarily closed in 2006 by the municipality of Maastricht after non-residents were allowed in the establishment, objected to the decision. He pointed out that the municipality’s 2005 legislation “constitutes unjustified unequal treatment of citizens of the European Union” and that “people who are not resident in the Netherlands are denied the possibility of buying non-alcoholic beverages and food in coffee-shops, which is contrary to European Union law,” according to the release.

The court, which is based in Luxembourg, today said the ban was justified as it could help combat drugs tourism and tackle the “accompanying public nuisance,” adding that “it concerns both the maintenance of public order and the protection of the health of citizens, at Member State level and at EU level”.

Ali Sheikholeslami, euronews correspondent in London

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