cannabisnews.com: Going Dutch





Going Dutch
Posted by CN Staff on June 20, 2002 at 13:45:49 PT
Editorial
Source: Leicester Mercury UK
Campaigners want a cannabis cafe to open in Leicester, but would it be a drugs den or a harmless leisure facility? Ciaran Fagan went to the UK's first cannabis cafe to find out what the locals sayThe air is heavy with the pungent aroma of cannabis as Kate rolls up the latest in a long, long line of fat, loose joints. The 23-year-old law school graduate is extolling the virtues of the Dutch "cannabis cafe'' culture over a mug of coffee.
But we're not sitting in one of Amsterdam's famed hostelries where smoking cannabis is tolerated.We're in Stockport. Well-to-do Stockport, just outside Manchester. And if pro-weed campaigners get their way next month, people in Leicester will be rolling joints over a latte in similar fashion.Even Stockport's tourist information centre in the town - accustomed to taking calls about the town's famous hat museum - will tell you how to get there.At present, the Dutch Experience is an over-18s, members-only affair decked out in the style of an Amsterdam cafe.Smokers sit supping coffee and chatting amiably about different weeds. Board games and table football are popular diversions. But smoking is the main order of the day.Cannabis is not on sale - although that is the ultimate aim of campaigners across the country - but coffee and Kit Kats are.Kate, who is from nearby Cheadle, said: "It's such a relaxing place because weed and violence do not mix. The worst thing that can happen if you have too much in my experience is that you fall asleep."The police aren't doing anything apart from the odd undercover visit. In fact, I can't think of a better way of wasting money than trying to close places like this down.''The cafe is tucked away in a small parade of shops within a two minute walk of the town centre. And it was doing good business on Tuesday afternoon.It's been a bumpy ride so far for the Legalise Cannabis Alliance - pioneers of Britain's first stab at establishing a cafe culture with a dash of easy-going Amsterdam.The Stockport cafe - now known as Dutch Experience I after a second venture opened in Bournemouth - opened in a blaze of publicity in September.A gaggle of press watched as officers from Greater Manchester police stormed in, searched customers and arrested owner Colin Davies.Mr Davies, who says he is helping to provide cannabis to people because of the medicinal properties he and others believe it possesses, is to appear in court next month to face charges of allowing the Class B drug to be smoked in his cafe.Police in the town insist that they would raid the cafe if they had evidence that cannabis was being smoked there.But, apart from rumours of undercover surveillance operations, business has gone on, apparently unhindered by police for at least six months.Bart, 30, from Holland who is helping to run the Stockport cafe, said: "The reaction of 95 per cent of the people I speak to is supportive of what we're doing here - but then again a lot of the people who don't agree with what we're doing probably wouldn't talk to me.''He says he smokes both because he enjoys cannabis and for medicinal reasons - he has severe arthritis in his leg. When 30-year-old Tom Robertson underwent bone graft surgery a few years ago, he was left in excruciating pain.Now he takes a cocktail of pain-killers every day but comes to the Dutch Experience for a little extra pain relief."I don't feel like a criminal but I'm breaking the law here," he said. "For me it's simple, how can it be justifiable to withhold something that is a medicine for so many people?"Outside on the streets of Stockport, opinions were pretty much evenly divided about the cannabis cafe.Another (mainstream) cafe owner, who asked not to be named, said: "It's a nonsense the police allowed it to open in the first place, it's having an adverse effect on Stockport's reputation. People who sell drugs will start hanging around places like this - without the owners' knowledge maybe - and you'll get harder things than cannabis being sold."And who's there to keep an eye on it all?"Young mum Lisa Ashraf, 19, said: "I'm against all drugs and this sends out all the wrong messages. I'm bringing my son up to say no to all drugs and how am I supposed to do that when there's a place in the middle of town where people are openly smoking weed?"Barbara Hewitt, 49 of Wythenshawe in Manchester said: "I've read about this place in the local papers and I'd agree that people should be allowed to smoke cannabis like this if it's for medicinal reasons - the pain of some illnesses can be unbearable.''Greater Manchester police insist they will act if they have evidence that people are smoking cannabis in the Dutch Experience. A spokeswoman said: "As far as we're concerned, it's open as a coffee shop only and we're keeping an eye on it. As the law stands, it's illegal to possess or smoke cannabis so if we find people doing this we will enforce the law." Source: Leicester Mercury (UK)Published: June 14, 2002Copyright: 2002 Northcliffe Electronic Publishing LtdContact: tgobey nep.co.ukWebsite: http://www.leicestermercury.co.ukRelated Articles & Web Sites:Dutch Experiencehttp://www.dutchexperience.org/High Hopes Of Cannabis Pioneershttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12898.shtmlCannabis Café Boss is Freed http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12876.shtmlHasheesh To Hasheesh....http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12659.shtmlCannabis Entrepreneurs Go Dutch http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread12482.shtml 
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Comment #5 posted by RavingDave on June 21, 2002 at 12:44:56 PT
Can't See the Forest for the Trees
Young mum Lisa Ashraf, 19, said: "I'm against all drugs and this sends out all the wrong messages. I'm bringing my son up to say no to all drugs and how am I supposed to do that when there's a place in the middle of town where people are openly smoking weed?"And you'll probably have even more trouble with alcohol, what with the 30,000-odd pubs around the London area.Another (mainstream) cafe owner, who asked not to be named, said: "It's a nonsense the police allowed it to open in the first place, it's having an adverse effect on Stockport's reputation. People who sell drugs will start hanging around places like this - without the owners' knowledge maybe - and you'll get harder things than cannabis being sold.Yet, after six months, that doesn't seem to be happening. I would have asked him exactly when he expected these undesirables to start hanging out around the place. But, I have to hand it to him, he makes a strong point for legalisation. I mean, after all, you don't see too many illicit sellers of booze hanging around pubs on a Saturday night.
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Comment #4 posted by mayan on June 20, 2002 at 16:38:40 PT
Invade The Dutch!
US invasion proposal shocks MPs:
http://www.expatica.com/index.asp?pad=2,18,&item_id=23081from the article: THE HAGUE — The Dutch parliament was shocked by a US legislative proposal giving an official green light to a US invasion of the Netherlands should it be deemed necessary to free US citizens from the International Criminal Court in The Hague. 
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Comment #3 posted by p4me on June 20, 2002 at 14:34:27 PT
Robin Prosser- Day 60 and phase 2
Robin Prosser began here spell without food on 4/20. She has decided to take in more liquid nutrition and begin a hemp diet. The website has day 60 but it seems like today would be the 62nd day. This from cannabisnow.org:Robin has decided to move to a more nutritious liquid nourishment phase and begin to work towards the hemp diet. It's really the only way she can survive physically. She will need to be hospitalized for a few days to receive IV's and then start introducing more nutrients to her system slowly. When she feels stronger she will let us know what her plans are. This site will remain up & we will reorganize it to start 'Phase II." I will keep the links for calling Congress. and to email the media. Please keep the presser on our government so we can change these silly laws so no one else has to endure what Robin has. Peace! – webDivaRichard Cowan said he was going to focus on the UK because of chance of a big impending change. Today he talked about Canada and the prohibitionist propaganda attack that is to hold off the will of 51% of the Canadians that want marijuana legalized.1,2
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Comment #2 posted by Sam Adams on June 20, 2002 at 14:00:17 PT
Soon to be empty
Gee, can you figure why this guy doesn't like it???"Another (mainstream) cafe owner, who asked not to be named, said: "It's a nonsense the police allowed it to open in the first place, it's having an adverse effect on Stockport's reputation. People who sell drugs will start hanging around places like this - without the owners' knowledge maybe - and you'll get harder things than cannabis being sold."Duh, which coffeeshop would you rather go to - with cannabis, or without??
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Comment #1 posted by E_Johnson on June 20, 2002 at 13:56:10 PT
You bet they'll act!!
Greater Manchester police insist they will act if they have evidence that people are smoking cannabis in the Dutch Experience.
Yes, they will lock the police station door in terror and sneak out the back before they have to arrest any more DE'ers.This is so funny.
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