Snoop Dogg's smoky surprise to Amsterdam
The rapper and the unofficial mascot of the Paris Olympics, Snoop Dogg, has launched a coffee shop in Amsterdam, a city long known for its tolerance towards soft drugs – a sentiment the 52-year-old American rapper shares. ”Amsterdam has always embraced cannabis, and so have I,” he said in a statement. He partnered with an existing coffee shop, which has been rebranded as 'Smoke Weed Every Day', a nod to his iconic line from Dr. Dre's song 'The Next Episode'.
The specifics of Snoop Dogg's involvement remain unclear, particularly given the Netherlands' strict regulations on opening new coffee shops. The name itself may also violate the country's strict advertising rules for such establishments, according to the local press. Amsterdam's municipality has announced an investigation into the matter.
This seems like a clever marketing stunt to attract more cannabis tourists – exactly what Amsterdam is trying to curb. To counter the nuisance and overcrowding caused by overtourism in the city centre, the city has been working hard to shake off its ”sin city” reputation, with a ban on smoking cannabis on the streets, earlier closing times for bars and an online ”stay away campaign” to discourage rowdy British tourists from coming to Amsterdam. Safe to say, Snoop Dogg isn't the ally local authorities were hoping for in that mission.