cannabisnews.com: The Dutch Go To Pot 





The Dutch Go To Pot 
Posted by CN Staff on September 07, 2003 at 20:15:13 PT
By Eric Pape & Adam Piore, Newsweek International
Source: Newsweek International
Sept. 15 Issue — Paul van Hoorn, 71, suffers from chronic glaucoma. His wife, Jo, 70, has painful arthritis. So every few days, the two septuagenarians shuffle to their local “coffee shop,” ever watchful for robbers, to buy a little marijuana. Last week Dutch authorities decided that the van Hoorns, among many others, should change their ways—by going to their local pharmacy. Effective immediately, the government will begin dealing in Nederwiet, or Netherweed—cannabis, by another name, grown in state-sanctioned greenhouses and sold by prescription with official government approval.
That may not be such a stretch in a country famous for its cutting-edge life-style, where cafes legally sell pot along with cappuccino. Still, not so long ago the Netherlands might have faced condemnation, not only from Washington but across Europe. This time, though, while American anti-drug crusaders shake their heads in angry consternation, many Europeans are thinking of following suit. Britain, Belgium and Luxembourg are preparing to emulate the Netherlands in decriminalizing marijuana possession for personal consumption—and they will be watching the prescription experiment closely. Nor is this the most controversial of Europe’s new approaches to drugs. In Spain last week, 60 heroin junkies began a pilot program in which for the next nine months, they will receive twice-daily injections of heroin, supervised by a state hospital. Germany, the Netherlands and Switzerland have already launched similar programs. It’s a far cry from the era when President Ronald Reagan found willing partners for his “get tough” policies. When it comes to the problems of drugs and addiction, says Ethan Nadelmann, executive director of the Drug Policy Alliance in New York, the United States these days is an “outlier,” increasingly far from the European mainstream.    Actually, the Netherlands’ new policy isn’t as out-there as it might seem at first —glance. Official pot will be sold only for the alleviation of acute pain in the treatment of such diseases as cancer, AIDS and multiple sclerosis, as well as a handful of unusual ailments like Tourette’s syndrome. No more than 15,000 patients are expected to receive the drug in the first year. Nonetheless, it’s significant that nations that used to tailor their drug policies to U.S. concerns are today far less inclined to do so. Europeans are increasingly put off by what they see to be America’s extremism—the stridency of the Bush administration’s “zero tolerance” crime and anti-drug campaigns, its growing conservatism on social and cultural issues, its unilateralism in Iraq and go-it-alone unwillingness to abide by treaties and international norms held dear by Europeans, from environmental accords to agreements on international criminal justice. “People are saying, you can’t hold us to some treaties and choose the ones you do and don’t want to adhere to,” says Eugene Oscapella, a lawyer in Ottawa who specializes in international drug issues. “There’s a lot of skepticism about America,” he adds, and it’s spilling into other realms, including drug policies.    The zealous U.S. attorney general, John Ashcroft, embodies this ambivalence. Many Europeans see him as nothing short of a right-wing Jesus freak, a caricature of Europe’s worst fears of the Ugly American. His Justice Department has overseen vigorous (some would say absurd) prosecutions of cases that mystify people on the other side of the Atlantic. Dozens of vendors of water pipes, sometimes used to smoke marijuana, have been indicted by the Justice Department, for example, even when no actual drugs are involved. The comedian and actor Tommy Chong—of Cheech & Chong fame—faces up to three years in prison for allowing his name to be used to sell “Chong’s Bongs” online. Authorities have raided hospices for the sick and the dying in several California cities, even though California is one of 10 states, representing 20 percent of the nation’s population, to have passed medical-marijuana initiatives—only to have them overturned by conservative judges. Says Oscapella: “It really is a crusade, pointing at drugs as the devil.”    Not long ago, countries such as France could be counted on to follow the conservative U.S. line on drugs. No more. Though widely regarded in Europe as a hard-liner, French Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy recently helped find a site for a music festival attended by some 40,000 ravers. (He even promised funds for cleanup and damages, if needed.) By contrast, U.S. Justice Department attorneys have been using the newly enacted Illicit Drug Anti-Proliferation Act—popularly known as “the Rave Act”—to crack down on institutions where drugs are consumed. Critics say that nightclubs, dance halls, sports arenas and possibly even hotels can be targeted under the legislation, which Europeans consider to be draconian and a potential threat to individual civil rights.       Nor is it just Europe that’s scorning U.S. policies. Even neighboring Canada, traditionally far more in tune with America than Europe, is considering new laws that would decriminalize possession of as much as 15 grams of cannabis. Everyone from the U.S. drug czar, John Walters, to President George W. Bush himself has weighed in, threatening Canada with tighter border restrictions and possible trade penalties if its Parliament approves the measures. Yet that might only be the beginning of Canada’s perfidy, at least as Washington sees it. Like the Netherlands, Ottawa has also begun a medical-marijuana program; like Spain and Germany, it’s starting up a government-funded project to supervise injections for hard-drug addicts in Vancouver.    Should all this come to pass, whether in Canada or Europe, it will be a clear sign that key elements of America’s once globally influential “drug war” are going up in smoke. Growing numbers of Europeans would say it’s about time. Regardless of the merits, they will chalk it up as yet another defeat for Arrogant America.Note:  America takes a hit in the drug war as legalized grass takes root across the European continent. With Friso Endt in the Netherlands, Liat Radcliffe in London, Stefan Theil in Berlin and Marie Valla in Paris    Source: Newsweek InternationalAuthor: Eric Pape and Adam Piore, Newsweek InternationalPublished: September 15, 2003 Copyright: 2003 Newsweek, Inc.Contact: Editors newsweek.comWebsite: http://www.newsweek.com/Related Articles & Web Site:Drug Policy Alliancehttp://www.drugpolicy.org/Dutch Cannabis Initiative Stirs Interest in Europe http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17212.shtmlEU Nations Eye Netherlands Move To Sell Cannabis http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17209.shtmlNetherlands Launches Pharmacy Sales of Cannabishttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17204.shtmlDutch Approve Cannabis as Prescription Drughttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread17203.shtml 
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Comment #9 posted by ekim on September 08, 2003 at 20:29:20 PT
Tomy goes to court on 9/11
Dozens of vendors of water pipes, sometimes used to smoke marijuana, have been indicted by the Justice Department, for example, even when no actual drugs are involved. The comedian and actor Tommy Chong—of Cheech & Chong fame—faces up to three years in prison for allowing his name to be used to sell “Chong’s Bongs” online. Authorities have raided hospices for the sick and the dying in several California cities, even though California is one of 10 states, representing 20 percent of the nation’s population, to have passed medical-marijuana initiatives================Tomy stand tall-make a movie of the raided hospices i will bet that many have your ssalg. take it to the people.
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Comment #8 posted by lilgrasshoppah77 on September 08, 2003 at 07:31:17 PT:
Green collar worker....
I'll say! That LTE makes me uncomfortable too. No, nauseated. When I think of all the trouble the signers of the Declaration of Independence and framers of the Constitution went to, to keep the military seperate from public, and thereby controlled by the public... and morons like Mr. Coward (his name was withheld... I'm only guessing) say such moronic drivel. I'm surprised the dunce could write complete sentences.The implications of what he (she?) wants are terrifrying.Think of it, military style-justice for anybody who happens to be poor. Guilty until proven innocent, for anybody who happens to be poor. And what if they find (DUN DUN DA) druuuuugs in one of the subsidized homes? Are the residents evicted, according to plan, according to schedule? As evil as the opinion stated in the LTE undoubtedly is, it shows clearly what the purpose of prohibition is: it's a class struggle, and a color war... actually not even that. It's opression and psychic genocide.
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Comment #7 posted by rchandar on September 08, 2003 at 01:17:32 PT:
article
hold the keyboard, folks--go to williewortel.org & click on hempcity forum. looks like they're going to try to close coffeeshops--once again.
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Comment #6 posted by The GCW on September 07, 2003 at 21:12:16 PT
US FL: PUB LTE: Remove The Profit
No problem with this letter, except the political leaders will not heed it...http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n1346/a06.html?397Pubdate: Sun, 07 Sep 2003
Source: Tampa Tribune (FL)
Copyright: 2003, The Tribune Co.
Contact: tribletters tampatrib.com
Website: http://www.tampatrib.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/446
Author: Anthony Lorenzo
http://www.mapinc.org/writers/anthony+lorenzo
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03.n1318.a02.html
Note: Anthony Lorenzo is a member of the Florida Cannibis Action
Network.
Note: Limit LTEs to 150 wordsREMOVE THE PROFIT I take issue with the editorial that claims Jeb Bush made the right decision in spending $66 million of my tax dollars to construct new prison cells ( Our Opinion, Sept. 2 ), when last year he cut funding for drug treatment programs in prisons completely. The editorial stated: ``What alternative do authorities have to remove these parasites [drug dealers] from the communities they are ruining?'' I will answer that question: Unless you give these ``parasites'' another economic opportunity that encompasses more than $5.50 an hour flipping burgers, someone will be desperate enough to sell drugs. You claim that arresting people is the only solution. If cocaine sold for $5 per gram, would anyone be standing on the corner to sell it if it were no longer profitable? No, it would not be lucrative. If we remove the profit by moving these substances into a regulated, controlled market, drug dealers have to find new work. Your editorial failed to note that this is the only economically sound idea. As long as we don't, as a society, provide treatment for those who choose to get help, we are not doing our part as a society. Why must someone get arrested to be able to get drug treatment? The Rand Corp. determined that additional domestic law enforcement efforts cost 15 times as much as treatment to achieve the same reduction in societal costs. Please, let's deal in facts, not political spin parrotted by the Florida drug czar, who will say anything to justify his bloated, inefficient budget. Anthony Lorenzo, member of the Florida Cannibis Action Network. E-mail: anthony flcan.org Tampa 
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Comment #5 posted by The GCW on September 07, 2003 at 21:02:51 PT
I am uncomfortable with this letter.
Thought someone with a bit more knowledge of American history may relate to it in a LTE... See if this strikes anyone else as scary... with name withheld...http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n1346/a01.html?397US MO: Public Housing, Like Military, Should Be Open To SearchesURL: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v03/n1346/a01.html
Newshawk: chip
Pubdate: Wed, 03 Sep 2003
Source: Columbia Daily Tribune (MO)
Copyright: 2003 Columbia Daily Tribune
Contact: editor tribmail.com
Website: http://www.showmenews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/91Author: Name withheld upon requestNote: Prints the street address of LTE writers.PUBLIC HOUSING, LIKE MILITARY, SHOULD BE OPEN TO SEARCHES Editor, the Tribune: Regarding the recent protest by tenants at a Columbia public housing subsidized apartment complex, consider the following. When our young men and women volunteer to join our military services, I believe they are subject to search and seizure at all times while on the military installation. This includes their dorm areas. I believe the base commander has authorization to conduct searches at any time. If it's OK for the military, why not consider it for our public housing units? It appears the policy is working at this particular apartment complex. Police calls are way down over the past year, according to news reports. Tenants are not forced to live at public housing units; they do so by their own choice. I would recommend our local housing authority raise this issue for debate and consideration. Of course, being a federal agency, it's most likely their hands are tied and they cannot. If that's the case, maybe we should consider privatizing all of our public housing so they can implement this policy for the safety of all tenants. Name withheld upon request 
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Comment #4 posted by BGreen on September 07, 2003 at 20:55:41 PT
An Article From Agence France Presse
Dutch "State pot" is no heady stuff for official supplierROTTERDAM, Netherlands (AFP) - If pot is officially good for you in the Netherlands, it is proving even better for James Burton, a US citizen whose once semi-clandestine business grew to become one the Dutch health service's two official providers of medical cannabis.http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1504&ncid=1504&e=10&u=/afp/20030907/ts_afp/netherlands_drugs_030907203244
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Comment #3 posted by FoM on September 07, 2003 at 20:46:42 PT
The GCW
What I think it means is they are old and sick and worry about being a victim of a robbery. The older a person gets the more frail and afraid. That's how I took it to mean.
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Comment #2 posted by The GCW on September 07, 2003 at 20:40:24 PT
"ever watchful for robbers"
what does that mean?So every few days, the two septuagenarians shuffle to their local “coffee shop,” ever watchful for robbers, to buy a little marijuana. 
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Comment #1 posted by FoM on September 07, 2003 at 20:33:23 PT
About This Article!
Now this one made me feel much better.
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