The Dutch government is proposing to end what it has termed 'drug tourism' in the cannabis cafes of Amsterdam by restricting access to coffee shops to Dutch residents only.

If proposals under the government 'clean up' go ahead, thousands of tourists who visit the Amsterdam cafes every year could be affected. Other Dutch government plans in the same agenda include halving the number of coffee shops. The proposals will be confirmed by late December 2003.

Meanwhile, Home Secretary David Blunkett's draft proposal to downgrade cannabis under UK law was backed by MPs in the House of Commons on 29 October.

While large-scale possession of the drug will remain a criminal offence, those found in possession of a small quantity of cannabis won't be immediately arrested but given a warning, caution or court summons instead.