Last week a debate was held so that coffee shop owners, representatives, and researchers could voice their opinions. Many expressed their opposition to the plan.

Alongside highlighting that the majority opposed the proposition at the recent debate, the report shed light on why the mayor wants to bring the coffee shops’ accessibility to an end. The idea, according to the prosecutor, is that the growth of the soft drug industry needs to be diminished. She also firmly believes that it will tackle unruly tourist behavior and hard-drug criminality.

Others disagree, arguing that the decision will eventually increase the number of street-dealers, according to the Guardian report. Others have highlighted that according to reports, under 50% of tourists visit Amsterdam for cannabis-related reasons and 24% would still come even if the ban proceeds.

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