Dutch Coffee Shops to remain smoke ins

[mullray]

Loved this. You can't smoke tobacco in public eateries, pubs etc but you can smoke MJ in the Coffee Shops. Sanity prevails!

 

source: http://www.seniorsworldchronicle.com/2008/...xempt-from.html

 

NETHERLANDS: Marijuana exempt from smoking ban

 

AMSTERDAM (DutchNews). March 26, 2008:

 

The ban on smoking in cafés and restaurants from July 1 will not apply to the smoking of pure marijuana or cannabis, health minister Ab Klink has told MPs.

 

The ban falls under the tobacco laws and does not apply to tobacco-free products, Klink said.

 

© DutchNews.nl

[RobbieGanjaSeed]

That is good sense mate. I never thought about that little conundrum.

 

But hey, tell ya what does worry me (although I will never afford to go to the pleasure of Amsterdam); is the sheer volume of money American right wing politics is supplying anti-pot movements in Holland.

I was very naive, under the belief that everyone in Holland was cool on pot the way it is in their country, or at least didn't care, but apparently as everywhere, there's a certain degree of people there who would like to see pot a crime like it is here for example.

 

So USA supplies the money for them to wage their war. isn't that nuts? that's like going to a marriage councillor who has a terrible marriage. Gee the Americans just can't help themselves, gotta get involved everywhere hey. Andwhile I hope they fail to change any of the thinking there, it isn't impossible. In the 80s, the police and the mayor, the general public in most Nth Rivers towns of NSW was inclined towards everyone smoked pot, or if they didn;t, they were ok with it., It was so entrenched, you'd think it would never change for anything. The straightest appearing of all people were cool with the people next door growing huge plants, smoking all day...all kinda of stuff.

 

At one stage I lived in a caravan parkin Brunswick heads; the lower end of the park was scrubby although in the middle of town. So much smoke was blowing out of the park at that end people living in houses a few blocks away would talk about smelling it. every now and then a complaint was made, so there was a very minor amount of objection. The police never did anything about it, in spite of being in caravans as it was, following ya nose to the sources would have been so easy, especially seeing as each one was virtually on fire with grass.

 

One year a group of guys pulled their V.W. combi van apart (the inside panells I mean) and lined the whole car with grass to take it on a road trip to some destination. It was open knowledge in town, the spot rhe caravan park had given them left them out inthe open where everyone could see them busing themselves (although of course you couldnt see exactly what); and nothing went wrong for them at all. It was just so cool and open.

 

I just want to set the scene for anyone that wasn't around there at the time. It was as close to anything Australia has seen to Amsterdam I imagine. But slowly , slowly, people started to make objections, and now, that same caravan park is such that if you sparked up, you wouldt last a minute before the cops would be called, and the buggers would respond!

 

I worry for Amsteram's future with USA throwing their hat in the ring. it's easy to think something's never going to change, but it isn't relaity you know. We've seen what should have been the start of a revolution in Australia turn around and become as bad as the rest of the country. Just by a very small minority making waves and keeping up the pressure. I just hope the tourist dollars make enough influence that Holland stays as it is for that purose alone if nothign else.

 

Holland seems to have some very sensible people running the show there in many ways, like this ban on smoking in restraunts. Hope they stay that way.

 

cheers

rob

 

 

rob

er, I mean Anna.

[mullray]

Hey Robbie, yes, I remember reading some stuff on Holland and apparently they have cracked down as part of the European Union. Coffee shops have been closed down and its illegal for them to buy but not illegal for them to sell or something. Crazy!! The mj tourism industry is worth millions so I guess this remains a motivator but I heard they'd closed down about half of the hydro stores there in about 5 years or something. I was in Holland about 4 years ago and it was pretty cool. Most coffee shops are full of English and other tourists. Let's hope Holland can hold out. The worlds definitely changing for the worse. Less freedom and more laws. It's sad to see.

[Tyrantz]

The netherlands is the greatest country on earth still remember the vibe i felt there. I was only 15 at the time so couldnt go into the rustland coffee shop with my old man so the laws better not change before i go back.

 

just wonderin what did anyone else whos been there buy, i bought AK-47 and Bio Cush buds and manali and cashmere hash.

[mullray]

I smoked mostly Sativa stuff like Haze and things I hadn't heard of before. I was like a kid in a candy store. Loved my time there but can't remember a great deal of it

[RevenanT]

Was just there for a couple of days last week. I doubt the coffee shops are having problems with supply as most offer 3-5 strains and the larger joints like The Grasshopper and The Bulldog offer a larger selection including hash.

 

We heard though that because of the soaring prices of real estate which have risen some 150% in the last 8 years that the government is looking to redevelop the central area. So that means that the red light district and alot of the smaller coffee shops are gonna go. The Casa Rosa sex show place is shutting down and we were lucky to make it to one of their last shows. It makes sense as alot of the central part of the town is taken up by these seedy little alley ways filled with hookers and little coffee shops and smart shops. Im sure the powers that be would prefer to see nice big shiny malls, apartment complexes and hotels there instead.

 

Amsterdam used to be the place to go and is usually full of brits. I was there over the easter long weekend and it was certainly very busy. However due to the amount of cheap european flights available now tourists are heading to other areas as well. For example alot of the british stag party organisers are heading to places like Krakow , Bratislava and Budapest where as before amsterdam was the only option.

 

Basically the gist of what we were hearing is if youŕe looking for the original amsterdam experience then get in quick cause the winds of change are blowin.