But in border cities in the provinces of Limburg and North Brabant, there are local officials and residents who support the introduction of a weed pass.
In Uden (in the province of Brabant) vandals set fire to an Islamic school, and in Venray (Limburg) there were violent clashes between Christian and Muslim youngsters.
The visit was slightly surreal for Van Poppel, whose hometown in the Dutch Province of Noord-Brabant is best known for its university and a gel capsule manufacturing plant.