I am not really surprised that cannabis does not fall under EU trade rules since it is illegal.
Note: This is not an official ruling yet.
Maastricht can ban tourists from its marijuana cafes: EU court official
Friday 16 July 2010
The border town of Maastricht should be legally allowed to ban non-Dutch nationals from its marijuana cafes, according to a senior advisor to the European court in Luxembourg.
Advocate general Yves Bot said he considers the move necessary to protect public order and reduce the nuisance caused by drugs tourism. In addition, the ban would contribute to European efforts to combat the illegal drugs trade, Bot said in his ruling.
The Netherlands highest court, the Council of State, has asked the European court to determine if the Maastricht ban conflicts with EU laws.
Closure
The Dutch court is currently hearing an appeal by a local cafe owner who was forced to close in 2006 after two non-Dutch nationals were found on his premises.
Bot said drugs, including cannabis, are not covered by European rules on free movement and trade. And he pointed out, that the sale of cannabis is illegal in all member states. In the Netherlands the possession of a few grams is ignored but still technically illegal.
The European court does not have to follow the advice of its senior legal official but generally does.
© DutchNews.nl
Maastricht can ban tourists from its marijuana cafes: EU cou
Uh oh. The end-around sweep is nearly complete with Belgium, and in essence France, cut off from easily acquiring weed along the border. If the authorities are totally successful, the entire Limburg Province will have a policy against serving non-Dutch citizens. This will also have an affect on certain parts of Germany as well, although the trip to Eindhoven is only 20 minutes longer (for me that is). Still shitty.
I see this issue as possibly going in one or more disastrous directions, something I liken to a bit of Chaos Theory. One unfortunate and more likely series of events to occur is:
- An increase in police presence on border checkpoints and highways leading to and from cities with shops not covered under the ban, such as Eindhoven. This increase will most certainly raise the number of stops and arrests. See where this is headed? The increase in statistics, authorities love statistics, may give the politicians enough weight to pass a national ban on shops serving non-Dutch citizens.
Definitely a step in the wrong direction.
I see this issue as possibly going in one or more disastrous directions, something I liken to a bit of Chaos Theory. One unfortunate and more likely series of events to occur is:
- An increase in police presence on border checkpoints and highways leading to and from cities with shops not covered under the ban, such as Eindhoven. This increase will most certainly raise the number of stops and arrests. See where this is headed? The increase in statistics, authorities love statistics, may give the politicians enough weight to pass a national ban on shops serving non-Dutch citizens.
Definitely a step in the wrong direction.
I think that regardless of how pot smokers behave, there is and probably always will be an element that wants cannabis removed altogether. With that being said, if most pot smokers behaved like adults, this wouldn't be an issue.
It pisses me off when a society, instead of dealing with the problem directly, use the blanket method for the sake of simplicity. Anyone who is even remotely aware of the problems associated with cannabis in The Netherlands knows the vast majority belong in two groups - organized crime and users under 25. No offense to the overwhelming majority of under 25's who do behave like an adult.
The law is written in such a manner that practically forces a shop owner to do business with criminal organizations. Change the laws and watch these organizations fade away quickly. I realize that something has to be illegal about cannabis, so let it be growing, just don't enforce the law.
Same applies in dealing with protecting public order and reducing the nuisance caused by drug tourism along the border. A simple solution, ok maybe not so simple, would be to give border communities the authority to raise the minimum age from 18 to 21 or 25, only for non-Dutch citizens of course. I guarantee the vast majority of these problems would disappear practically overnight.
Maybe my approach is too pragmatic.
It pisses me off when a society, instead of dealing with the problem directly, use the blanket method for the sake of simplicity. Anyone who is even remotely aware of the problems associated with cannabis in The Netherlands knows the vast majority belong in two groups - organized crime and users under 25. No offense to the overwhelming majority of under 25's who do behave like an adult.
The law is written in such a manner that practically forces a shop owner to do business with criminal organizations. Change the laws and watch these organizations fade away quickly. I realize that something has to be illegal about cannabis, so let it be growing, just don't enforce the law.
Same applies in dealing with protecting public order and reducing the nuisance caused by drug tourism along the border. A simple solution, ok maybe not so simple, would be to give border communities the authority to raise the minimum age from 18 to 21 or 25, only for non-Dutch citizens of course. I guarantee the vast majority of these problems would disappear practically overnight.
Maybe my approach is too pragmatic.
it is, but the legalisation-movement is on a good way, the mayor of maastricht is just one big shithole. ask people who have to do with cannabis in this region about him, they all rage , and there is a reason they rage. so let him do his own little utopia where drugs are the main problem of the society and not the society itself.....after a few years this bubble will burst and everything`s thats left is the asurance that a war-on-drugs never had a chance.
well said. These plans will only create a bigger market for street dealers. How is that better??!!sh@dy wrote: so let him do his own little utopia where drugs are the main problem of the society and not the society itself.....after a few years this bubble will burst and everything`s thats left is the asurance that a war-on-drugs never had a chance.