Sjoerd is right. Additionally, there's a growing problem of the mafia-izing of pot production in the Netherlands, with the Russians getting their mitts all over it, and even the occasional shooting due to turf wars. It's unfortunately leading to some serious reconsideration of the sensible Dutch approach to soft drugs, according to a prosecutor friend of mine here.

In Amsterdam, the city has been examining the finances of coffee-shop license-holders, and shutting down all those that seem remotely suspect. But in practice, the biggest change in coffee-shop policy is the tobacco-smoking ban that went into effect July 1. No more sitting around smoking a tobacco-weed mix, as is standard European practice (and with pot as strong as they grow it here, a necessary one). Maybe weak weed will make a comeback!