Government Crackdown on Marijuana in the Netherlands: Amsterdam's War on Weed

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The Netherlands — and in particular its capital, Amsterdam — has long been thought to have some of the world’s most liberal marijuana policies. But today, the country’s government is clamping down on the weed industry. Police are raiding growers far more often, authorities are requiring “weed passes” to discourage marijuana tourism, and unprecedented numbers of so-called “coffeeshops” — where the sale of small amounts of marijuana is tolerated — are being forced to shut down.

VICE News visited Amsterdam to see what effects the new restrictions are having. After speaking to coffeeshop owners — one of whom has to close his shop because he’s technically too close to a school — we went to a weed festival and visited the home and greenhouse of Doede de Jong, one of the country’s few outspoken growers.

Watch: “Lebanon’s Hash Farm Wars Light Up” – http://bit.ly/1FWvlJ0

Read: “Why the Netherlands Weed Industry Has Gone Underground” – http://bit.ly/1vhL7FF

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50 Comments

  1. @user-xf6gw9on4f on May 3, 2024 at 11:43 am

    Wait, they are trying to shut down the weed market? 😂😂 Look how tourism drops to 0



  2. @kiefekiefe9542 on May 3, 2024 at 11:43 am

    What a waste of resources on the government



  3. @victorunbea8451 on May 3, 2024 at 11:45 am

    The video in short: This is what happens when people who pass dust instead of gas are allowed to vote. Voting after a certain age should be permitted only after a psychological test since it’s not their future.



  4. @Cruioooi78 on May 3, 2024 at 11:47 am

    Another prime example of how Vice talks waffle 😂



  5. @SolRayz on May 3, 2024 at 11:50 am

    Pretty hilarious watching in 2021 when even the USA is legalizing all over the place.



  6. @mohanadaljamal1102 on May 3, 2024 at 11:50 am

    How much price??



  7. @wanaisv9093 on May 3, 2024 at 11:53 am

    Once they banned weed in Netherlands the touring will down 75%



  8. @aarde7036 on May 3, 2024 at 11:53 am

    I just grow two plants in my garden every year, in a little greenhouse. No problem, I choose a kind that doesn’t smell to much so my neighbours don’t find out, and I use no electricity so no risk of fires. Pure nature! The weed in the coffeeshops is raised with chemicals, one problem with this system is that you never know where the weed is coming from and wich chemicals were used to enlarge the cropps. My weed is biological, alone for that reason already much better! I’m also glad not to be a part of our ridiculous system! As a Dutchy I cannot explain the (lack of-) logic to my friends in other countries…



  9. @untoldofficialyoutube8563 on May 3, 2024 at 11:54 am

    I’m sick and tired of Marijuana being Illegal, FREE MARIJUANA



  10. @ojhh121212 on May 3, 2024 at 11:54 am

    back when vice did real unbiased investigative journalism



  11. @jameswickdispensary517 on May 3, 2024 at 11:55 am

    Tap in on👇👇
    Snapchat::: jamesbud01
    Kik& wicker::: jamesbud01
    Selling cannabis in small and big quantity at supply prices
    Fast drop off//shipping with a tracking number..



  12. @chloebarneveld2386 on May 3, 2024 at 11:56 am

    Kanker Rutte



  13. @NyanNyanNyanNyanNyanNyanNyanN on May 3, 2024 at 11:59 am

    it’s so scary to realize how governments really don’t want us to be free when they know weed is the most harmless drug there is and most beneficial and all they wanna do is poison us by giving us high sugar food and advertise alcohol and keep cigarettes around when its all harmful! so unfair, f the governments who hurt their own citizens and keep them around to drown slowly..



  14. @user-hn4xo6is8i on May 3, 2024 at 12:02 pm

    8:37 where is this place. so fucking beauty road.



  15. @godalmightyismysavior197 on May 3, 2024 at 12:02 pm

    “Only now sells alcohol” lmfao fuckin government



  16. @mckayman24 on May 3, 2024 at 12:02 pm

    What about alcohol and tobacco FFS



  17. @CoffeeshopsofAmsterdam on May 3, 2024 at 12:03 pm

    7:51 RIP Doede De Jong #PeaceAndLove to a cannabis warrior



  18. @lidynasty4722 on May 3, 2024 at 12:03 pm

    Mark ROOT



  19. @jamescokl3 on May 3, 2024 at 12:04 pm

    I hate governments. Alcohol is sold and it causes all unsocial crime. Bs.



  20. @pumpkinspicenick923 on May 3, 2024 at 12:04 pm

    This is fantastic. It means the us trade will grow



  21. @fgconnolly4170 on May 3, 2024 at 12:06 pm

    just go to Utrecht, it’s much more free



  22. @benfrank6218 on May 3, 2024 at 12:07 pm

    Closed all economy Amsterdam holanda



  23. @devangsomani6651 on May 3, 2024 at 12:10 pm

    I don’t know what’s wrong with the Netherland government man . As long as people are smoking natural green , bud , it doesn’t seem to involve an issue , oh and this is how synthetic weed could be stop from coming out in the markets . Synthetic weed kills you man.



  24. @zootinmyboot1598 on May 3, 2024 at 12:11 pm

    Kanker



  25. @vishmitha119 on May 3, 2024 at 12:12 pm

    Waiting for coming 🔥🖤



  26. @SCHRUBBE1966 on May 3, 2024 at 12:16 pm

    Libtard green mayor war



  27. @Trainmarster on May 3, 2024 at 12:17 pm

    9:39. bro looking like james may



  28. @thurstonpowell8687 on May 3, 2024 at 12:18 pm

    It only takes one to smoke this shit outside of a childrens school and you’ve turned a nation against it, I started smoking tobacco after observing my father



  29. @RahulSinghr7k7s7 on May 3, 2024 at 12:18 pm

    Wow. You can sell but can’t grow. The most bullshit thing I ever heard. The Vice guys go to Mexico and tell that it’s failed state because of drugs and here he is discussing that the school at a distance of 160m can’t be seen. And no one tells from where they get the weed, it just appears. The irony is the USA is permitting their states to legalize the weed. Hypocrisy.



  30. @robinsinpost on May 3, 2024 at 12:19 pm

    The guy in the thumbnail just looks soooo Dutch.



  31. @user-ix3yh8yt7r on May 3, 2024 at 12:20 pm

    Not my thing!



  32. @TheBest-yh8qb on May 3, 2024 at 12:22 pm

    Can I smoke weed in my home in amsterdam?



  33. @nielsturner7795 on May 3, 2024 at 12:23 pm

    Def worst vice vid i’ve seen bc i know the truth which is a shame bc i though vice was different



  34. @Max-ng9hc on May 3, 2024 at 12:23 pm

    So you cant grow weed , but you can sell it in speciel ”bars” ,but the people who is alowed to sell it have to buy it from people who is noot alowed to sell it to Them..



  35. @biggieslapnasty on May 3, 2024 at 12:24 pm

    Its good to see them cracking down…. if you too tolerant vicious cartels will come in and start killing to dominate the drug trade.



  36. @johnlamarca9439 on May 3, 2024 at 12:24 pm

    It’s a SICK belief like all governments belief in their WARS!! Bad guys over there!! Yes sir! Me kill for you sir!! Look how good I am at killing for you!! And they get medals for the killing they have done. And this criticism goes for ALL ALL nations and flags that represent the world insanity. We are all in this together, is not about a V!! If ANY of them understood that statement there wouldn’t be the amount of war there is in the world today. All they are doing is smoking a plant. There are 7 other plants u can smoke that there’s no law written against. Some have zero effect on work performance. Pot DOES interfere with ability to control your vehicle while driving. No where near as bad as alcohol though.



  37. @wkptuig1066 on May 3, 2024 at 12:25 pm

    Ja, eeehm😂🤣



  38. @wewakalul on May 3, 2024 at 12:26 pm

    coke is ook ongezond rutte



  39. @strikmeister on May 3, 2024 at 12:27 pm

    Well… Everybody is happy how it goes, and this is going on since the 1960s and nobody complane except the newspaper and Social media, because they most earn money with their articles. Weed is good for our economy, and tourism, and it’s still a ritch and safe country with good life quality.



  40. @owand5017 on May 3, 2024 at 12:30 pm

    ‘Mark Root’ XD



  41. @DMC619 on May 3, 2024 at 12:31 pm

    I see the new mayor said it was weed tourists that were causing antisocial behaviour😂 something tells me it has more to do with drink, stags and prostitution. I’ve been 10 times I’m up at 10 and asleep by 9😂 I spend a lot of money on food there and I’ve never had a drink in Amsterdam. It’s makes no sense that it’s still just “accepted” it should be legal.



  42. @RANGZAAR on May 3, 2024 at 12:31 pm

    Wow I love marijuana 😘



  43. @jonastona on May 3, 2024 at 12:34 pm

    I mis cannabis bevrijdingsdag best thing ther whas



  44. @fil19653253 on May 3, 2024 at 12:35 pm

    que fumen pasto estos malditos drogadictos ¡¡¡¡¡



  45. @p.s.5135 on May 3, 2024 at 12:38 pm

    Only in amsterdam you can smoke weed 🤣🤣 fucking dumb



  46. @sublimesubaru2857 on May 3, 2024 at 12:39 pm

    Why the fuc* would you cut off one of your countries largest income, simply because you don’t want to "be the laughing stock of Europe".

    That title went to Russia after Putins’ ridiculous invasion of Ukraine 🇺🇦 I still love the regular Russian people world peace friends.



  47. @devangsomani6651 on May 3, 2024 at 12:39 pm

    Places like Kasaul , Malana in Himachal , India haven’t met such issues yet and luckily the natural weed and hash business is booming up there from many many decades. Welcome to Himachal , India . Everyone !! Om Namah Shivay ❤️

    Boom Shankara
    Love and peace from Goa !!!!!



  48. @DescendDab on May 3, 2024 at 12:41 pm

    Godver zeg die man heeft een ZWAAR nederlands accent



  49. @billyjoe071 on May 3, 2024 at 12:42 pm

    So many British people know nothing about cannabis.



  50. @kieranjainakakj5052 on May 3, 2024 at 12:42 pm

    Screw weed it is bad