THE HAGUE, 23/12/04 - The number of tolerated Dutch marihuana bars better known as 'coffee-shops' fell in 2003 to 754 from 782 in 2002. Since 1997, their numbers have dropped by 36 percent (1,179), the Justice Ministry reported yesterday.

On the instructions of the ministry, Tilburg University counted all those cafÈs that hold a permit from their local authority to sell a limited quantity of cannabis and hashish. The researchers concluded that 754 coffee-shops are spread among 105 municipalities, although a third of them (258) are located in Amsterdam.

National rules (AHOJ-G criteria) specify that coffee-shops may not sell hard drugs, cause nuisance or admit people under the age of 18 and may not sell more than 5 grams of marihuana (cannabis or hash) per person per day. Besides this, the maximum amount kept in stock may not exceed 500 grams.

The AHOJ-G criteria also prohibit the combined sale of alcohol and drugs. Nevertheless, Amsterdam still has three coffee-shops where alcohol is also served, reported the ministry. The capital city decided in June 2003 to give the drink-and-drugs bars a three year transition period after which they must be either a coffee shop or an ordinary bar.

Each municipality is responsible for monitoring compliance with coffee-shop policy. Although the AHOJ-G criteria "are generally well known to all parties", the implementation is not always optimal. For example, it is "not clear exactly what is meant by 'scant advertising'. The definition of nuisance is also tricky in practice," the ministry explained.

Scant advertising means that coffee-shops may not advertise themselves or drugs. "The local interpretation of the criteria means it is possible that a coffee-shop in one municipality may hang a sign outside, while a coffee-shop in another municipality may not even display a list of the different types of soft drugs it sells."

The survey showed that excluding people under the age of 18 has the highest priority. This is followed by avoiding nuisance around coffee-shops. The third priority is the ban on hard drugs. "The hard drug criterion is of practically no relevance, as very few violations take place." Besides the AHOJ-G, local authorities often impose their own criteria, such as a certain distance between a coffee-shop and schools.

Local authorities can close coffee-shops if violations occur. However, the drop in the number of registered drugs bars is primarily the result of the attrition policy followed by many local authorities, meaning that the coffee-shop permit is automatically withdrawn when the premises are sold to a different owner. ?