Netherlands restricts access to "coffee houses"

[jedispyder]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20110527/wl_nm/us_dutch_cannabis;_ylt=AmxZoP0hm94RMfoaGfKgqnms0NUE;_ylu=X3oDMTFpb21tYTRkBHBvcwMzNgRzZWMDYWNjb3JkaW9uX21vc3RfcG9wdWxhcgRzbGsDZHV0Y2hnb3Zlcm5t

"The Netherlands’ right-wing coalition government, buttressed by Geert Wilders’ far-right Party for Freedom, has announced plans to severely restrict access to the country’s world renowned “coffee shops,â€￾ banning entrance to all foreigners, and imposing membership requirements on local patrons.

“In order to tackle the nuisance and criminality associated with coffee shops and drug trafficking, the open-door policy of coffee shops will end,â€￾ wrote the Dutch health and justice ministers in a letter to parliament.

Dutch residents will be required to sign up for a one-year membership before being permitted to patronize a coffee shop. Each of the country’s 220 coffee shops will be allowed to dispense only 1,500 memberships, meaning many locals will have to seek other means of procuring pot.

The measures will be rolled out in the south this year, before making their way up north in 2012."

[jedispyder]

Thus, Amsterdam ends virtually all tourism.

Now, being a fan of Soy Chai Tea Lattes, that would suck to learn I have to submit for a membership in my own country and possibly fail to procure one. Then again, it could be possible that these "coffee shops" actually do not have coffee and only marijuana. Having never been there it's likely the latter is true...

[XIII]

What the fuck? Since do the Dutchies have laws?

[Mr Wallstreet]

But prostitution is still legal right? <whew>

[jedispyder]

They said they're also cutting down on the Red Light District =o/

[MGM]

Yeah, there's so many wrong things in those few lines that I won't bother to even respond.

[Stocky Boy]

How's this happening?

I hear Canadians also have a Creationist Science Minister, Gary Goodyear. SCIENCE MINISTER!

What's the link between crime at the coffee houses MGM?

[XIII]

There goes tourism money for Holland...

[MGM]

How's this happening?

I hear Canadians also have a Creationist Science Minister, Gary Goodyear. SCIENCE MINISTER!

What's the link between crime at the coffee houses MGM?

This is a difficult story. Official stance is that you can buy some pot for your own use, but it's illegal to grow it (although, again, for your own use one plant isn't too frowned upon). Of course, that begs the question where the large quantities that the coffeeshops need DO come from. Answer: illegal, and therefor criminal, activity.

In the past (until about 10 years ago) there used to be a lot of trouble with foreign, most notoriously French, people coming to the Southern part of Holland (not where Amsterdam is) to score some pot. That went with drugs trafficking and other shit (like criminals signalling to and trying to stop pretty much every foreign car that came near Rotterdam, for instance). At the moment a few municipalities near the border with Belgium have some trouble as well, mostly due to foreigners coming there to get their pot.

Of course, NONE of the municipalities want this law to pass. Somehow some asshat in the government thought this up all by himself and thinks this'll solve the crime. If anything, it'll bring MORE crime. The problem at the backdoor (where the fuck do coffeeshops get their stuff?) isn't solved by keeping people from the frontdoor. And on top of that, keeping those people out will very likely produce more crime.

[CBKA]

when does it comes into force in amsterdam?

[MGM]

For you, yesterday

Actually, no clue. Not sure when they plan to try and pass the law.

[wolf_2099]

This is a difficult story. Official stance is that you can buy some pot for your own use, but it's illegal to grow it (although, again, for your own use one plant isn't too frowned upon). Of course, that begs the question where the large quantities that the coffeeshops need DO come from. Answer: illegal, and therefor criminal, activity.

In the past (until about 10 years ago) there used to be a lot of trouble with foreign, most notoriously French, people coming to the Southern part of Holland (not where Amsterdam is) to score some pot. That went with drugs trafficking and other shit (like criminals signalling to and trying to stop pretty much every foreign car that came near Rotterdam, for instance). At the moment a few municipalities near the border with Belgium have some trouble as well, mostly due to foreigners coming there to get their pot.

Of course, NONE of the municipalities want this law to pass. Somehow some asshat in the government thought this up all by himself and thinks this'll solve the crime. If anything, it'll bring MORE crime. The problem at the backdoor (where the fuck do coffeeshops get their stuff?) isn't solved by keeping people from the frontdoor. And on top of that, keeping those people out will very likely produce more crime.

That I can't imagine this will stop the coffeehouses, they will just go underground, which will make the problem worse. The one inward they have of regulating the industry will be gone.