Amsterdam wants to scare away dope smoking tourists

The last time I visited Amsterdam there was fellow running around the streets menacing people with a machete.

He was clearly high on a substance a little stronger than cannabis.

But the good people of Amsterdam council are now apparently worried about marijuana tourism.

They are to launch a "stay away" campaign in the northern spring targeting tourists travelling to the capital for drugs, alcohol and sex purposes.

Which are, of course, three of Amsterdam's major tourism drawcards, whether the good local burghers like it or not.

The city's mayor is hoping to curb crime by banning smoking marijuana outdoors from mid-May.

Good luck with that.

Apparently, residents in the city centre have complained that tourist-fuelled nightlife noise has made the city unbearable.

The Dutch capital has long been known for its liberal attitude to drug use and sex work but will ban the smoking of cannabis on the streets of its red-light district, city authorities.

The ban, which will come into effect in mid-May, is seeking to tackle crime and anti-social behavior to improve the quality of life for the area's residents.

Amsterdam is a popular tourist hotspot and its marijuana cafes as well as its brothels and strip clubs draw in millions of visitors every year.

The real problem is not a marijuana smoking - it is an overabundance of tourists in cities that are relatively small.

Venice suffers from similar problems, as does Prague - neither of which are dens of drug smoking mania. Rome, too, and Dubrovnik.

What has happened in these cities - and many others - is that they have promoted themselves to tourists, and then discovered they lack the necessary infrastructure for the masses.

"Residents of the old town suffer a lot from mass tourism and alcohol and drug abuse in the streets," Amsterdam city fathers and mothers said in a statement.

"Tourists also attract street dealers, who in turn cause crime and insecurity," it added.

But therein lies a problem. 

Tourists are highly unlikely to flock to Amsterdam for the local cuisine, so when businesses start losing money my bet is that dope smokers will be welcomed back with open arms.

One of the worst mistakes you can make when travelling

It may be one the mortal sins for a traveller - but it is one I managed to commit earlier this year. 

Even those who have been travelling for decades need an occasional reminder to be vigilant, so here goes. 

Do not pack your drugs, or any medicine you might need on the road, in your checked-in baggage.

In a moment of madness I packed my blood pressure medication in my suitcase before a recent trip to Canada. 

Regular readers will be aware that Air Canada lost my luggage - and that I was without it for a week before being reunited just before leaving the country. 

No problem, I thought. I'll just get my doctor to send my prescription by email and I'll be fine. 

Except Canadian pharmacies are not allowed to accept overseas scripts. So no go there.

Next solution: get an appointment with a local doctor. 

Easier said than done. Covid was still rampant and you needed to make an appointment a week in advance to see a doctor. 

There were a couple of public clinics, but these had long lines and were populated by some seriously unhealthy people coughing and snotting, while many of the patients looked like they were waiting to pick up their methadone.  

My sister came to the rescue. Her family has an online membership to an auto club that allows access to an online medical service. 

They issued a prescription with minimal fuss. Disaster averted. 

In some countries, like Thailand, you can get any drugs you like without a prescription. Others make it hard - and expensive. 

So remember to take your drugs in your carry-on luggage - and take a prescription with you as back up.  

# My journalist colleague Dennis Passa adds another very useful suggestion. 

If you are travelling for a long period of time, or with lots of drugs in your possession, ask your doctor for a covering letter. That way there will be no issues should you be searched at border crossings.

Image: Anastasiia Rybalko, Scopio.