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Please read this. Sept 2002: Coffeeshops strictly enforcing the age rule. If there is the slightest doubt as to a person being 18 years old, acceptable identification (ID) is requested , without which service is politely refused. What is "acceptable ID" ? Any laminated ID that has your photograph and Date of Birth on it, and, preferably, a hologram of some sort to prevent alteration. These include: Passport - though it is appreciated you may not want to carry your Passport in Amsterdam for fear of loss or theft. Alternatives suggested by Coffeeshops: Driving Licences that have Photograph on. University Student Union/Library Cards (with Photo). UK "18+Prove it" cards. USA & other countries Official Identity Cards. The Netherlands has, for reasons that do not overly concern us here, recently elected a right-wing, mainly Christian Democrat, coalition government . As part of a "Law & Order" platform, they want to close down 50% of the Netherlands Cannabis Coffeeshops. One of their Senior Ministers - few of which, if any, have experience of Government or , in some cases ,even Politics !!, - has described us Coffeeshop users as "Junkies". (He also seems to have as little knowledge of Cannabis as he does of Government) One incident in particular has caused consternation and anger. One morning 2 plain clothes police officers installed themselves in seats near the entrance of a Coffeeshop in a small town (I was told the name of the town by 2 owners of coffeeshops, but have forgotten it - "stoned again"! ). Some time later, 2 youths entered the shop and were immediately challenged by the Police before they, the Youths, had got to the counter or spoken to the owner. They were under age. The police then "did" the Coffeeshop Owner for allowing under aged people on the premises and went through the whole Coffeeshop looking for other "irregularities" ! I understand the Coffeeshop lost its licence, even though the owner pleaded he had no opportunity to challenge the Youths about their age. (I find it a little suspicious that the Police got "a result" so quickly !) 16 Oct 2002: Newsflash ! The government has fallen after less than 100 days in office !! New elections soon........ March 2003: New Elections: Right wing Christian Democrats still largest party but needs coalition partners - some of the more extreme right wing parties lost seats. Will 50%of Coffeeshops in the Netherlands close ? I discussed this with several owners & long term employees of Amsterdams Coffeeshops I have got to know over the years. Some say that this will not happen as too much money will be lost to the economy and unemployment will increase. One owner put this into perspective. He knows an owner of a Coffeeshop in Amsterdam who paid 1 million Guilders (€454,546) in Tax last year, and employs 25 people. (The Tax people in the Netherlands has a novel way of assessing and collecting tax on weed sales. This is difficult in the absence of verifiable records from wholesalers - the authorities have had a big clampdown on commercial growers for some years now to the extent a lot of weed sold in the Netherlands originates in Spain and Switzerland. So, rather than levy a monetary tax they "strongly suggest" the owner takes on some extra staff from the unemployed registry where overall figures suggest the Coffeeshops weed and other profits are doing very well.) Others point out, that if half of the coffeeshops in Amsterdam close, its going to be impossible to get served in the other 50% as they will be so crowded, with a resulting loss of income & employment. I also understand that under the terms of the "Toleration" legal agreement, the whole thing is up for for review next year, regardless of the current governments attitude. No one I spoke to thinks the Government will try to close all the Coffeeshops in the Netherlands, which is one option under the agreement. But no one is sure. Total closure would lead to BIG trouble, on the streets, in Parliament, everywhere. That IS for sure. Of similar interest also is the switch to a "membership only" by 2 Coffeeshops. Some time ago now, there was some bad trouble, said to involve weapons, at 2 of Amsterdam`s Coffeeshops, Greenhouse Namaste & Greenhouse Tolstraat, part of a small, but respected, chain of "growing" shops. While you can still go to the shops and buy weed, you now need a photo-membership card to pass through a turnstile to enter the shops and sit down and have a drink and a smoke. I have been told that you need to live in Amsterdam to be considered for membership, but also I have told that the "Security" also lets in those visitors he approves of. This is mentioned as it may, in my humble opinion, be the way forward for some of Amsterdam's Coffeeshops. Maybe there will be a collective "Coffeeshop Card" issued to those young enough to be thought underage - or even everyone - to keep out troublemakers - good in all Coffeeshops.  
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