cannabisnews.com: Dutch Want To Ban Foreigners from Coffee Shops
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Dutch Want To Ban Foreigners from Coffee Shops
Posted by CN Staff on November 20, 2010 at 07:38:10 PT
By Phillip S. Smith
Source: AlterNet
Amsterdam -- The newly elected rightist Dutch government said Wednesday it wants to bar foreigners from buying marijuana in the Netherlands' famous cannabis coffee shops. The move is part of a national crack down on drug use, a government spokesman said.For more than 30 years, Holland has allowed the sale of small amounts of marijuana (currently up to five grams) in coffee shops, even though laws against marijuana possession technically remained on the books. In recent years, conservative governments have increasingly signaled their unhappiness with the status quo and have embarked on campaigns to reduce the number of coffee shops.
Dutch coffee shops are a popular tourist destination, especially with visitors from neighboring France, Germany, Belgium, and other countries with more repressive approaches to pot. But some border towns have already moved to bar foreigners, citing traffic, congestion, and public order problems.On Wednesday, Dutch Security and Justice Minister Ivo Opstelten told NOS radio the governing coalition had agreed to limit marijuana sales to Dutch residents in order to curb crime linked to marijuana production and sales. "No tourist attractions," said Opstelten. "We don't like that."But it is not "drug tourism" that creates crime around pot cultivation and distribution. Instead, it is Holland's half-baked approach to tolerating marijuana. The Dutch government allows for legal retail marijuana sales, but does not allow for a legal method of growing marijuana to supply the coffee shops. That leaves the door open for criminals to get involved in the trade.While some border towns have already acted to bar foreigners, there is less enthusiasm for a ban in Amsterdam, home to some 223 coffee shops. The municipal government there said it was studying the government proposal. "We are taking the current practice as a starting point. It is not perfect but in many ways we have a functioning coffee shop system," an Amsterdam city spokesman said.The "no foreigners" policy has not yet been formally drafted and no firm date for the ban has yet been set. But it looks like foreign pot smokers are about to join Muslims as persona non grata in the brave new Holland.Read more of Phillip S. Smith's work at the Drug War Chronicle.Source: AlterNet (US)Author:  Phillip S. SmithPublished: November 19, 2010 Copyright: 2010 Independent Media InstituteContact: letters alternet.org Website: http://www.alternet.org/URL: http://alternet.org/world/148936/CannabisNews -- Cannabis Archiveshttp://cannabisnews.com/news/list/cannabis.shtml
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Comment #12 posted by rchandar on December 02, 2010 at 14:52:28 PT:
All Interested
After following these kinds of press releases, which the American and British press seem to love repeating......that was seven years ago, the first time this plan was concocted in the minds of the Christian Democrats. ...I've been reading the posts on freeuk.com; they seem to be like mesmerized by this and certain of it. Mark my words, it will not happen, unless the C-shops themselves sign on to it. There are simple reasons WHY coffee shops must serve foreigners. First off, let's cut the bulls #t. France, UK, Germany, Italy--these are all countries with plenty of growhouse money. We'd be crazy to think that Holland, a little country with only 16 million people total, is responsible for some cannabis epidemic Europe-wide.The second reason: read the first reason. Minus coffee shops in Holland, Holland becomes just another European country. With a lot less to offer. That is not unique, special, beautiful, amazing. There will be absolutely NOTHING that Holland can give us that the other EU nations can't. They'll talk big for awhile, but I can guarantee this proposed law is not passing.--rchandar
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Comment #11 posted by MikeEEEEE on November 22, 2010 at 19:44:58 PT
$$$$$$
People don't go to Holland just to see the windmills.
These conservative idiots will hurt a lot of busine$$.
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Comment #10 posted by rchandar on November 21, 2010 at 07:22:31 PT:
One More
If you all migrated over to coffeeshop.freeuk.com, it'd clear a lot of the misinformation. Basically this measure is driven by noting "nuisance" tourists--usually, British or American, who get out of control in Amsterdam. The comment about street dealers is appropriate--if the coffee shops stop serving foreigners, possession is still tolerated. You would be within your rights to buy on the street and could not be prosecuted. If I'm wrong about that, then this law would create enormous problems. Basically put, the Dutch justice system would be clogged with thousands of possession cases where the defendants would likely not even be in the country. They're bulls #ting with us, and would like us to be afraid that that system will end for us. But if they ever passed a measure like this, it'd be a nightmare for the Dutch courts and police. I mean, say I'm from Japan, and I'm in Holland for three days. Is it very likely that such a case would be punitive for a non-national? Could I extradite you for pot possession? I doubt it.--rchandar
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Comment #9 posted by rchandar on November 21, 2010 at 07:14:54 PT:
Scare Tactics
They'll never get it passed. I can assure you. They've got a barely "functioning" government which includes Geert Wilders, who's on trial at present.Even if all MPs in the "coalition" sign on to the ban, and this "government" doesn't collapse, it won't pass. The opposition parties will kill it, and their numbers are the same as the governing party: 75 out of 150. I'd keep abreast of the "proposal", but it would take them about a year or two to complete the "pilot program."Holland loses on all counts if this proposal becomes law. Their economy isn't doing that well in a brave new world that craves internationalism. They'll never get it done in any good conscience with their people. I can guarantee it.They're just trying to scare you. I've heard them rehearse this scheme for about seven years now, the outcome the same.Enjoy!
rchandar
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Comment #8 posted by FoM on November 20, 2010 at 20:06:43 PT
Hope
Thank you. I didn't understand what that meant. Once something or someone is allowed you can't just change it and be fair in my opinion. We have Muslims in our country so they can't be made to go away. At least that is the way I see it.
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Comment #7 posted by Hope on November 20, 2010 at 18:31:31 PT
FoM
Comment 2"I didn't understand the comment about Muslims. They have lots of Muslims there I thought."The author said, "But it looks like foreign pot smokers are about to join Muslims as persona non grata in the brave new Holland." By saying Muslims are "Persona non grata", he is saying they are, apparently, considered "Unwelcome visitors" in the "Brave new Holland".
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Comment #6 posted by Sam Adams on November 20, 2010 at 15:43:44 PT
bad idea
This move seems absurd, in Amsterdam there are thousands of business that will be decimated by this move. Cannabis drives most of the tourism, it's hugely popular with English and Americans. We'll surely go elsewhere if there's no cannabis....sorry hotels, restaurants, taxis, museums, shops, etc.
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Comment #5 posted by HempWorld on November 20, 2010 at 09:51:12 PT
More hypocracy!
Federal judge pleads guilty to multiple drug charges.
More hypocracy!
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Comment #4 posted by HempWorld on November 20, 2010 at 09:02:02 PT
More O'Reilly Video!
More hipocracy ...
Follow Up On Previous Video ...
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Comment #3 posted by HempWorld on November 20, 2010 at 08:55:44 PT
Yes FoM!
That was exactly my point!Thanks,
O'Reilly and Co. Amsterdam for real!
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Comment #2 posted by FoM on November 20, 2010 at 08:25:58 PT
HempWorld
I didn't understand the comment about Muslims. They have lots of Muslims there I thought.
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Comment #1 posted by HempWorld on November 20, 2010 at 08:18:26 PT
Yeah Right!
I don't think Phillip Smith has ever been to Holland after reading his remark on the muslims! I personally think that this is offensive. But again, I don't think he speaks from experience.It seems like this new mandate has been on the order of the UN or the US or both. (See Leonhart, recent Canadian drug laws) I don't think the Dutch will roll over and obey such authoritarian measures. After all, they have one of the most tolerant democracies and societies in the world.In case they are foolish enough to enact this crazy scheme, street dealers will fill the void and Amsterdam will become a violent city that never was.
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