Amsterdam Finally Bans Pot Smoking at Schools

Amsterdam is continuing to get stricter with their pot laws.

According to the AP, the mayor said on Wednesday that he is banning students from smoking marijuana at schools. Apparently, the Dutch capital hasn't been able to stop kids from smoking up during school hours for years now.

Iris Reshef, a city spokeswoman, claims all schools have always banned pot, but were never fully able to get school officials to successfully enforce the law.

"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," she said. "But it has been a problem for some schools."

The AP Reports:

Eberhard van der Laan's introduction of a law that in other countries either already exists or seems so obvious it wouldn't even require a rule is the result of the Netherlands' unique drugs policy. Under the "tolerance" principle, marijuana is technically illegal here, but police can't prosecute people for possession of small amounts.

That's the loophole that made possible Amsterdam's famed "coffee shops" — cafes where marijuana is sold openly. But it has also had the unwanted side effect that Dutch children are frequently exposed to the drug in public areas.

After a change in national law, the city will now be able to declare as of Jan. 1 "no toking zones" — areas like schools and playgrounds where weed-smoking is forbidden — under a public nuisance ordinance. Police can then levy fines against students or anybody else who flouts the rules.

Photo via AP