Justice
Dutch Cities Don't Love Weed
The Hague’s new ban on the public consumption is the latest signal of the country’s waning tolerance. It could also be a step toward a happier medium.
If you assume the Netherlands has an anything-goes attitude toward cannabis, think again.
This month, the city of the Hague—home to the parliament and royal family of this famously tolerant country—announced that, while it will still tolerate the possession of small amounts of cannabis, it will ban public consumption in its city center. The move is apparently in response to complaints about noise and smells. While it might seem tame compared to countries that ban smoking outright, it still marks a turnaround for a place that has an international reputation for permissive drug policies.