Amsterdam Pot Ban Aims to Stop Students Smoking in School
Officials in Amsterdam have stated that they will have to adjust school policy and ban students from smoking marijuana while on school grounds.
Amsterdam is known for its open drug policy that allows people to avoid prosecution from police while possessing small amounts of marijuana. The drug is still technically illegal in the country, but is tolerated under the country's laws.
On Wednesday, Amsterdam's mayor Eberhard van der Laan announced plans to implement the ban starting the first day of 2013. Official's explained that it is against the law to smoke on school grounds or playgrounds, but school administrators in some schools found that kids would smoke marijuana close by to schools and arrive to class stoned, leaving teachers unable to levy any punishment.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
"It's not really what you have in mind as an educator, that children would be turning up for class stoned, or drunk either for that matter. But it has been a problem for some schools." Iris Reshef, a city spokeswoman, told the Associated Press.
The new ban will create areas other than schools and playgrounds where it will be against the law to smoke marijuana. Police will have the authority to fine anyone who breaks the new measures under a public nuisance ordinance.
The move comes recently after the Dutch government decided not to ban marijuana for tourists with a so-called "weed pass" that would be required for anyone who wanted to purchase cannabis.
The Netherlands is not the only country to change their marijuana laws. Washington and Colorado recently passed measures making the recreational use of marijuana legal – at the state level – with federal agencies yet to comment on the recent developments.
National statistics show that more and more people are being arrested for non-violent, drug related offenses and that marijuana is involved most of the time, with nearly 45 percent of all drug possession arrests last year involving marijuana.
