cannabisnews.com: Getting a Whiff of Dutch Culture Getting a Whiff of Dutch Culture Posted by CN Staff on May 23, 2004 at 08:23:11 PT By Tom Wharton, The Salt Lake Tribune Source: Salt Lake Tribune Amsterdam -- Los Angeles writer Ellen Clark and I became hopelessly lost while searching for a store that sold toothbrushes. That fact alone made wandering Amsterdam's narrow streets strange. But the walk turned weirder still when we stopped to ask directions from a kind bicycle repairman. His advice? "Turn left at the penis." Having seen a stone fountain of the male sex organ an hour before while visiting the Cannabis College in the heart of Amsterdam's famous Red Light District, we knew exactly where to go. On my one free afternoon during a travel writers' tour of Amsterdam, I felt guilty passing up a chance to visit the famous Van Gogh Museum or the Anne Frank House in favor of a walk on the wild side of one of the world's most permissive cities. But, for all its culture, flowers and beauty, this walkable city of 750,000 residents is perhaps equally well known for its legalized prostitution and accessible soft drugs. Though our tour guides refused to promote an area they they dismissed as catering to rowdy tourists, my reporter's curiosity got the best of me. As we entered the district that encompasses several square blocks, it became obvious that Ellen and I were in a different world. Shops sold postcards of Rembrandt's self-portrait smoking a marijuana cigarette. Porn shops advertised their wares openly in windows, leaving absolutely nothing to the imagination. And beautiful young women of all shapes, sizes and colors stood in various states of undress behind storefront windows, beckoning potential customers inside, even in the early afternoon. My first stop was The Hash Marijuana & Hemp Museum. Identifying myself as a reporter, I paid a small entrance fee. The young woman asked if I planned to write a positive or negative story. I told her I wanted to see what was inside before making any judgment. The small museum contained all sorts of interesting facts. For example, wagons used by American settlers mostly used hemp for their covers. The sails on Christopher Columbus' boats came from hemp. Some perfumes and beers are made from cannabis, or marijuana. There was an exhibit on marijuana in the movies, a poster for the "Million Marijuana March" and a display offering information on the various uses of hemp. Historians date the use of cannabis back 8,000 years. At the back was a marijuana growing room where different varieties of the plant were on display. Visitors were invited to use an inhaler to sample some of the goods, but I declined. The Cannabis College -- motto: Just Say Know! -- was located a few doors up the street. It promoted itself as a place where visitors seeking information on the drug could come for a "higher education." A friendly curator named Berri, who declined to give his last name, stopped washing the front window to answer a few of our questions. He told us hemp was prohibited by the United States to protect the cotton and petrochemical industries. Then he scrambled to find a Biblical reference about the use of cannabis. According to its brochure, the college offers free advice "on safe recreational use as well as educating the public about the resourcefulness of this sadly prohibited plant. Guided tours in our cannabis garden allow us to illustrate our information with a beautiful, completely organic example of indoor growing." A brochure promoted the medical benefits of cannabis for those suffering from AIDS, Alzheimer's disease, asthma, arthritis, cancer pain, epilepsy and stroke. Ellen and I finally found the toothbrush shop, where I purchased a Barbie toothbrush for my granddaughter and brushes with floating dice, playing cards and golf balls inside their handles for friends and family. Later that night, we chatted about Amsterdam's liberal sex and drug laws with Guus van den Hout, director of a museum dedicated to Christian art and culture. "When you legalize these kinds of things, the fun is gone," he said. "The Dutch use regulation to keep [potential criminal activity] under control. We don't want to have fights and we always compromise. It is all about the money. It is a business." Brigitta Kroon-Florita, director of public relations for the Netherlands Board of Tourism, said legalizing soft drugs such as marijuana and hashish may actually keep users from graduating to harder drugs, like heroin. To prove her point, she cited research by scholars that suggested Dutch decriminalization of narcotics does not appear to be associated with greater use of other illicit drugs. The next night, while taking a canal boat ride, I again passed through Amsterdam's Red Light District. More young women were in the windows and, indeed, they were often bathed in red light. The place did not seem all that busy. Source: Salt Lake Tribune (UT)Author: Tom Wharton, The Salt Lake Tribune Published: Sunday, May 23, 2004Copyright: 2004 The Salt Lake TribuneContact: letters sltrib.comWebsite: http://www.sltrib.com/ Related Articles & Web Site:Cannabis in Amsterdam & San Franciscohttp://freedomtoexhale.com/amsterdam.pdfDutch Drug Policies Do Not Increase Marijuana Usehttp://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18782.shtmlDutch Authorities Oppose Tighter Drugs Law http://cannabisnews.com/news/thread18743.shtml Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help Comment #6 posted by JoeCitizen on May 23, 2004 at 17:00:28 PT Low Down Thrills breeze and rchandar, I understand your points. Those of us who read this page are engaged in a (frequently literal) life and death struggle over rights, freedoms, and how to limit an overreaching govermental system.But don't let that blind you to human nature. There is a low-down dirty thrill that comes with doing something you KNOW that you're not supposed to do.Almost all of us, save perhaps the most saintly, have felt that sensation while gossiping about some mutual friend or acquaintance. Or engaging in some minor bit of vandalism - say swiping a street sign with a funny name.Some adults (not me, I'm a private type) like to push the boundaries of where they engage in sex, risking being caught because it's more thrilling that way. The greater the danger of being caught in the act, the bigger their thrill.Kids are very prone to seeking this sort of thrill, it goes with their rebellious, limit-seeking behavior. Most kids will shoplift or steal something at some point, often small items like a candybar. Most of them don't need to, they could just as well have bought it. But they were after the thrill.They might find a little of that excitement by swiping drinks from their parents' liquor cabinet, because that's usually breaking a family rule. But there's a bigger thrill from buying and smoking pot, because that's not just breaking a rule, it's breaking a law.The temptation of that which is forbidden. A very old concept, certainly as old as Adam and Eve, probably lots older than that story. The Dutch are wise to this, and they make pot smoking less forbidden, and therefore less tempting. No less fun for those who'd enjoy it anyway, and certainly not for those who were seeking some relief from their ailments. But less tempting to someone just looking to flout a rule, or do something "bad."Most sane people draw the line of what we will do for that kind of thrill, even as children, far short of the things breeze mentioned. We just wouldn't murder someone, or rape them, or molest their children. The few who would cross that line for their low-down thrills are the one's to watch out for - deviants and sociopaths. But it's a matter of degree, not black and white. Most of have a little of the dark side in us, and will seek that thrill at some point in our lives. At least that's my opinion.JC [ Post Comment ] Comment #5 posted by rchandar on May 23, 2004 at 13:15:49 PT: ??? yeah--when in life does being threatened by thuggish "good citizens" and cops become "fun?" and what's fun about being looked at like a dirty person simply for advocating legalization, or being constantly told by a hate-filled society that all that you dream of and believe is only bulls $%t?is it "fun" to oppose injustice? is it "fun" to hide and pray for mercy all the time? is it fun to do something that society consistently rates as a characterless moron for doing? or is it "fun" to hear all those other things: that you're destroying your life, that "we can help you" meaning really, "we want your money or else," being told by a judge or cop that you're "really immature?"no, my friends. I don't call that "fun." Amsterdam is definitely "fun," though--you can do what you want, meet people of any walk of life and share your pain with them, and enjoy a culture of peace and tolerance in a beautiful and multicultural setting. THAT'S fun.--rchandar [ Post Comment ] Comment #4 posted by breeze on May 23, 2004 at 12:19:03 PT ??? "When you legalize these kinds of things, the fun is gone," he said. "The Dutch use regulation to keep [potential criminal activity] under control. We don't want to have fights and we always compromise. It is all about the money. It is a business." I have NEVER understood the perception that because something is illegal- it makes it more fun. Never will!!! Just because somthing is against the law, it means that we are going to have MORE fun? I guess it is for demented minds- you know, rape, murder, child molestation, vandalism is illegal- does it mean that its FUN to do these things?I think farting in public is fun, Is it illegal- No. Some people think that getting other people in trouble is fun- is it illegal? It depends on how far the person goes to frame someone else, but otherwise- no. When I was a child, a kid in my class hid something from me- under my very own desk. It pissed me off immensely- and he got his giggles as I tried to point out that he was the one who had messed with my stuff. "I don't have your scissors!"he protested. He wasn't lying, but he wasn't exactly being mr nice guy either. Looking back- it gives me a world of ideas of things that I could do to harm others, and have "fun" doing it. But is it really fun to torment others?Apparently so- look at the laws. Look out how society reacts to the "reality" shows on television. Look at how much obsession people have with police shows, and cruel comedic programs- people are obsessed with others peril's and trials. It is sick, childish, and stupid- butI suppose it drives the entertainment industry.George Carlin had a brilliant idea- lets start televising live executions, GREAT RATINGS WILL FOLLOW. Oops! That has already been done, and in fact, its being done as I write this- just turn on the news. The news even has to strive for better ratings- they only hinted at the attrocities that occur in American prisons, realized it wasn't making a serious impact- and backed off.But to say something is no longer fun because it is legal is preposterous. That person needs to find a hobby- bowling, darts, shoot some pool, get some exercise! God, I want to smack someone for just thinking that an activity is more "exciting" because it is illegal, now THAT would be fun AND illegal. But it wouldn't be more fun BECAUSE it is illegal- or am I wrong? Think of all of the things that are just plain wrong - but not illegal, and are at the same time- "fun". Adultery, debt retrival services that threaten repeatedly, teasing, bullying (illegal only at school or in the workplace), cursing at strangers, being a prison guard, being disrespectful, video voyeur- as in watching unsuspecting people on camera in public places- its when you start watching them in the bathroom when you get into trouble, privacy disregard, hypocricy, lying, cheating, being a pest, greed, need I go on?Just take a look at what the government, and some member of the military THOUGHT they were going to be able to get away with, but did not. Then, examine what dealings and attrocities happen right here in our country- and the people who commit them DO get away with it. Is this considered "fun"? [ Post Comment ] Comment #3 posted by E_Johnson on May 23, 2004 at 11:13:36 PT It made me wonder I look at Van Gogh's earlier work and think, it took a lot of courage for him to keep pursuing a career as a painter while producing works like those.It made me wonder, at what point is being realistic about life valuable to a person? If Van Gogh had been more realistic about the quality of his earlier work maybe he would have quit trying to be a painter, and never produced the great work at the end of his career.Maybe reality is overrated.Look how much his delusional state is worth now! [ Post Comment ] Comment #2 posted by rchandar on May 23, 2004 at 09:58:04 PT: why van gogh museum sucks i agree; when i went there i was also disappointed. the reason being, about half of van gogh's really good paintings are in france and because this museum includes a lot of no-name contributors. it was worth the 7 NLG, but barely.-rchandar [ Post Comment ] Comment #1 posted by E_Johnson on May 23, 2004 at 08:40:05 PT OT: Van Gogh museum They have a lot of his early work in there and actually he wasn't very good for a lot of his career. Some of the stuff downright sucks. You can see him develop as a painter, which you can't see when you only see his most famous works, none of which suck.It's interesting to see that such great genius had to go through a long period where his work was not at all distinctive or stunning. [ Post Comment ] Post Comment