Drug War Issues
Politics & Advocacy
Under a plan announced over the weekend, the city of Amsterdam is to experiment with different rules for cannabis coffee shops. While the city under Mayor Job Cohen has moved to shut down some shops in the past, Cohen is considered a friend of the Dutch experiment in marijuana sales and consumption.
The Bulldog coffeeshop, Amsterdam (courtesy amsterdam.info)
Under the plan, the city will experiment by trying new types of coffee shops. One would offer pot or hash that must be consumed on premises; the other would offer to-go sales only, providing a place where marijuana can be bought, but not used.
The plan will not go into effect until problems surrounding coffee shops are first documented in detail. Since that hasn't happened yet, any changes will start next year at the earliest.
The move comes amidst a broad campaign by coffee shop opponents to lower their number and restrict access to Dutch citizens only.
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Comments
"Coffee" house solution
Let them consider eliminating many complaints by eliminating the hot burning overdose "joint", "spliff and "blunt" on premises, i.e. any delivery system which causes "side-stream smoke" or fire hazard to someone's sweater, or looks careless and chauvinistic; meanwhile, promote and sell on premises only pre-sifted herb and one-hit chillums, kiseru, midwakh and sebsi, along with a selection of vaporizers and hands-on instruction how to use them.
Problems?
Again; everyone must cater to a few who believe there is a possible threat to their unquantifiable "quality of life." The coffee shops are not new, so any shift in "quality of life" is more likely due to global economics. If they are worried about the "quality of life" in Amsterdam, limiting access to Dutch citizens will put a great deal of their businesses at risk because of the cut in tourism. Finnish the quote: "Cohen has moved to shut down some shops in the past..." and failed, because it is more important to the Dutch to have a free economy and personal freedom than to force a moral perception that is contrary to all historic and scientific evidence.
One would think that; until "problems surrounding coffee shops are first documented in detail," there wouldn't be anything to discuss or any need for change. What is considered a "problem?" People hanging out in front of a coffee shop are just as much a "problem" as people hanging out in front of a bar, restaurant, or museum. If people hanging out in front of any establishment become a "problem" it is the people, not the establishment, at issue.
Compared to coffee shops, churches have been the greatest destroyer of the quality of life in every civilization in every period in history. The people who frequent churches, synagogues, mosque, temples, etc. are responsible for more oppression, death, and destruction than any other group of people in history. Before focusing on coffee shops, you may want to check out the Catholics. Cannabis smokers have never conspired to deceive, destroy, torture, rape, and kill those who simply disagree. We don't force consumption on minors and tell them it is good because it is a special someones' blood. We certainly haven't spent any time and resources to cover-up the rape of young boys, and then justify it for the good of agriculture.
There are plenty of actual "problems" in the world to work on before inventing another to appease a few. If this is at the top of Amsterdam's priorities, they have no real issues for their citizens to worry about. Prohibition has been proven counterproductive. An amendment to the US Constitution is beyond a huge event (only 17 in 215 years). Undoing one is nearly impossible (once...ever). The speed at which it was done is proof positive of abject failure.
In reply to Problems? by heiberm (not verified)
Prohibition~Subjugation~Slavery
I agree completely with the sentiments, and your facts arenât wrong, theyâre just a bit skew-whiff.
The fact is, Cohen has worked quite hard to defend the status quo regarding coffee shops in the Netherlands. Earlier this month, I believe it was 7 June, there was a general election in which Cohen ultimately did very well. Once the on-going talks to form a coalition government are finished, he will most probably be the Netherlandsâ new Prime Minister.
With the exception of a small minority of anal-retentive types who are either: a) terrified by; or, b) jealous of people who are able to make good, healthy use of cannabis (and other such God-given substances) there really isnât any opposition to coffee shops in the Netherlands. If you rule out the mass of people who have been adequately deceived by silly science and desperate propaganda, I think youâll find the same is true of prohibition everywhere.
The problem for the Netherlands, and other countries which would dearly love to muster the courage to put themselves in a similar situation, is the US/UN/UK Axis in the guise of the UNODC and other such puppet organs. They are under continuous and intense pressure to cede sovereignty and follow stipulated party lines. In short, due to the relationship between power and money and its disproportionate concentration in the United States, the problem is the United States.
Until the US comes to terms with the severity of damage resulting from its intransigent and increasingly unjustifiable - perhaps even slapstick - support for prohibition, it will never be able to enjoy the fruits of its labour and the good will it used to inspire and nurture. As long as the US remains the whole world's playground bully - on the losing side in the War on Drugs - it will, quite rightly, never recover from its ills, whatever bankers and others of that ilk may try and tell you.
The Dutch
Citing personal freedom as a banner of dutch social policy is well and good but most people who have had any first hand experience with Holland know it is mostly about the cash. All the hoopla about closing down coffee shops is merely to please their international constituency of bores and prudes. The Dutch can read earning sheets as well as anyone, and know that drug tourism and prostitution make their economy a powerhouse. As most people know, except U.S. drug czars, the Dutch themselves have little interest in cannabis, a few teens, some of the unemployed, artists, are about the only people that consistently use the herb. As Hakim Bey once said, "The Dutch have always loved to make money off of sinners."
The problem is... "It's the Tobackgo, Stupid!"
McD's point, "The problem is the United States", is almost correct; to follow the thought through though, the United States acts as "the whole world's playground bully" on behest of its puppetmaster Big 2WackGo which doesn't want one-hit cannabis teaching millions of new users to "smoke" without using hot burning overdose papers which are the basis of the cash cow $igarette format profit margin.
What if:
(a) cannabis users were free to use a one-hit chillum, kiseru, midwakh or sebsi anytime anywhere for a 25-mg. single serving, and
(b) tobackgo users, imitating their example, "lit up" i.e. vaporized 25-mg. of sifted tobacco in a one-hitter every time they wanted a "smoke" instead of a 700-mg. Marlboro or a 900-mg. Pall Mall etc.
Follow the money-- this is the why and how behind the US "foreign policy" and its "over 50% of the world's military" bullying other nations to keep them in line against the Downdosage Revolution that will ride in on the coattails of cannabis (the sooner the better).
What individuals can do: if you are an Amsterdampster, apply to open a Vapocafe where every visitor for a set fee can suck a serving of one-hit skunk out of a vaporizer, or try out several vaporizers or one-hitters, under kind patient expert supervision.
(Note: a California firm last week claimed to have solved the technical issues in producing a viable cannabinoid E-CIGARETTE CARTRIDGE. Have plenty of those on hand too!)
Why the Dutch haven't increased their cannabis use? Many Americans don't know there is an infestation of "joints" in Europe where they think the word "joint" means a mixture of cannabis with tobackgo, and they roll "joints" with both herbs mixed inside, causing niggotine addiction and other health and behavior problems which are ignorantly blamed on the cannabis; this, friends, may soon CHANGE as vaporizer, e-cig and one-hitter take over.
In reply to The problem is... "It's the Tobackgo, Stupid!" by maxwood (not verified)
The problem is... "It's the Tobackgo, Stupid!"
I totally agree with you. Safer smoking methods for all smoking material shud be introduced everywhere. Tobbaco is a big killer no doubut the most toxic of all smoking substances ! vapourisers are better than spliffs blunts pipes etc but over a certain temp bout 380-390 then you are not far off smoking it really as benzenes start to get released i beleive. Unfortunatly here in the uk we struggle to get good herb and good deals. The illegal market dominates here and thus we get poor deals weight wise and poor quality cannabis on a regular basis. Thus we have to use tobbaco in our spliffs due to cost factor. The criminals get richer (including our GOV they are criminals themselves for handing the power over to the gangs to dominate the supply, quality, and cost) and poor get fuked over ! Pre prepared dosed nicotine, thc and/or cbd and cbn depending on substance required would be an exellent idea. Free The Herb !!!
One problem I heard about with non-Dutch going to the cafes
Some of the people who drive over to the Netherlands from neighboring countries also like their alcohol. Any excuse to punish cannabis users will do.
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