Dutch City’s Ban on Cannabis Sales to Foreigners Justified According to Court Advisor
Yves Bot, the advocate general at the ecu Court of Justice, issued an opinion in regards to the Dutch city of Maastricht’s ban on selling cannabis to non-residents. In step with Bot town has the correct to ban sales of pot and hash to foreign customers as “drug tourism represents a genuine and sufficiently serious threat to public order in Maastricht.” Bot believes that one of these ban is “necessary” to offer protection to residents.
While the opinion is non-binding, the court often follows Bot’s advice.
The opinion is a disappointment to Marc Josemans, who owns the “Easy Going” coffeeshop in Maastricht – a city located within the south of the Netherlands. Josemans brought the case before an area court so one can have the town’s ban overturned. The local court then asked the ecu Court of Justice for a ruling.
While Josemans was disappointed with Bot’s opinion, he remains hopeful. “Nothing is final yet because the ecu court still has to come to a decision and then the Dutch court could have the general say.”
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