Amsterdam to ban weed smoking on the streets of its red light district

The Hague — Amsterdam city authorities said Friday they are banning cannabis smoking in the streets of the red light district from mid-May as part of efforts to curb criminality and anti-social behavior. The measure comes amid wider efforts to restrict drinking hours and bring forward closing times of cafes, bars, restaurants and brothels, as the municipality cracks down on a "huge anti-social behavior" problem.

Prostitution is legal in the Netherlands and Amsterdam's city center brothels rank as a tourist attraction.

But rising urban crime in part of town which is a magnet for youthful night owls has for some years led police to label the area a "square kilometer of misery."