Amsterdam bans cannabis in red light district

Amsterdam, Feb 10 Under new regulations unveiled by authorities in Amsterdam, smoking cannabis in the city's red light district will soon be banned in an effort to improve living conditions for residents who have long complained of disruption caused by tourists, the media reported.

Under the laws that will come into effect in May, sex workers will also have to shut down their venues at 3 a.m., reports the BBC.

The Amsterdam Red Light District, known as De Wallen in Dutch, is located in the oldest area of the city.

In an announcement on Thursday, the City Council said that restaurants and bars would have to close by 2 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays and no new visitors would be allowed into the district after 1 a.m.

Currently, the sale of alcohol from shops, liquor stores and cafes in the red light district is illegal from Thursday to Sunday after 4 p.m.

Now, the Council will ask vendors to completely remove alcohol from their shopfronts during that time, or hide them from view.

Amsterdam is well known for its cannabis cafes and attracts millions of tourists a year. But locals have complained they attract street dealers and that drug and alcohol abuse is driving up crime rates, the BBC reported.

Under current laws in the Netherlands it is a criminal offence to possess, produce or deal drugs.

However, the use of drugs by a person over the age of 18 is not a criminal offence.

While it is illegal to sell or possess drugs, the Netherlands has a "toleration policy" that allows coffee shops to sell cannabis under strict conditions.

One of those conditions includes that the shops must not cause any nuisance.

In addition to the new laws, the Amsterdam council will launch a "stay away" campaign in the spring to target tourists travelling to the capital for drugs, alcohol and sex purposes.