So the Weed pass thing? and your thoughts?

[Boner]

joossy, did you miss where he said The rest of the country will folow on Jan.1, 2013. this will include Amsterdam.

Why do you think the Dutch haven't given money to Greece/EU? every country in europe has and is giving billions to the EU.

[nolvanschaik]

"And the Coffeeshop will only be allowed to have a maximum of 1500 "members" which is effectively an earnings cap,"

the cap is 2000...

now, watch this...

by allowing 2000 'members' in each coffeeshop, there will be 650 x 2000 memberships on offer, meaning 1.300.000 available 'places' . The last figures about the number of smokers in the Netherlands, supplied by a government funded research foundation, states there are about 440.000 cannabis consumers in NL.

So, we do not need all those coffeeshops in the end, if we believe the 'official' figures.
Then, the 440.000 smokers are in the Netherlands, and only 40 % of the Dutch buy from a coffeeshop, 340 out of the 441 Dutc municipalities does not have and allow coffeeshops, so 60 % of the Dutch smokers are already buying on the black market, for decades.

I have calculated that Haarlem gets 1 % of dutch smokers, we are a 160.000 inhabitants city in a country with 16 million inhabitants. Haarlem, and its 16 coffeeshops, would be serving 4.400 customers all together, according to the governments stats. That's only 275 customers per shop, that would not be enough to pay the rent!!!

my figures tell a different story.

We already have 400 enquiries fillled in in 2 days, that will be way more by the end of the week, even he tax people know we have more than 275 customers, they check us like the CIA.

[nolvanschaik]

I doubt the dutch gave 80 billion to greece.

As a dutchman can't you grow 5 plants at a time legally? Thats a pretty good fullback plan.

I appreciate and understand coffeeshop owners outside of amsterdam stand to lose their businesses and you should protest about it and good luck.


Joossy, we lent them way more, but we already heard that the Greeks will not have to pay us back 80.000.000.000 euros from the total.

In our climate you can grow outdoor, and if you are lucky, meaning no mold and rainstorms, you can harvest some.
Groing indoor, also with 5 plants is still illegal, because of the growlight. To supple the coffeeshop we would need 300.000 people with 5 plants, providing they do not smoke a part of their harvest themselves...

My shops are in Haarlem, a stoners throw away from Amsterdam, serving mainly locals, we will not have to close, the weedpass system will just make us go out of business, bankrupt, kaputt, empty, over and out! Savvy?

[Cisco]

It's going to be a massive economic loss for sure , I can't see how the majority of Head shops , Hostels , tacky gift shops will continue to trade without the whole scene !! lots of jobs lost when the Coffeeshops can't pay their rent !!

Unfortunately this does look like its going to happen !! So what can be done about it ? Are there any lawyers etc fighting for this in the courts ? Local politicians fighting the cause in Parliament ?

Sad times

[treetop]

I suppose it could also mean the end of this board. I mean why have an Amsterdam Coffeeshop Directory if there are no coffeeshops left to visit? Even the ones (few) left in business cannot be used by tourists.

I've already begun my growing career and do not currently plan to visit AMS unless something changes. Shame really as I like the town especially around 4-20 time!

No doubt the weedpass is only just the beginning of an overall hardening of the laws towards cannabis. We can expect perhaps re classification of 'strong' weed as a class A drug and perhaps more focus on drug enforcement and punishment as opposed to rehabilitation which is a massive industry in itself.

Of course it is not over yet.........

[Slip & Sal]

An unfair request really, If resident ACDers elected to help their friends from this forum in getting round the law by buying weed for them when they are in town, I suppose it could be legally looked on as dealing, not to mention the not inconsiderable hassle it would put them to in meeting up at certain times etc, which as we know in Amsterdam can be flexible.

Sorry to answer this now, I thought I had Bilbo. When Dutch people come over to Australia and ask residents to get them weed, well that is illegal. Is it wrong of me to say I'd help you out when your in my neck of the woods, when because it is now going to be illegal to sell to me Dutch residents wouldn't?

It is sorta my point. Of course someone will score me weed.

Also Joosy I think you are deluding yourself. But i hope I am deluding myself.

[Uncle Ron]

Thank you Nol for your insight. I appreciate you taking the time to make your thoughts known.

Some people need to walk out of the haze and into the light.
For those who said the pass system will never be, you are already wrong.
A version of the pass system has been in effect in several communities (Venlo to name one) for many years.
I have a card but it expires on 30 April 2012 (originally 31 July 2012). Hmm, anyone care to guess why that is? Simple, because the new policy takes affect on 1 May 2012 (in certain communities).
For the record, although I am an American citizen, I was able to use my card because I'm a documented European resident.
Doesn't matter much now though, at least in those communities who've adopted a Dutch-only policy.

Who seriously thinks that Amsterdam, or any Dutch community, can ignore national law or policy? Reading some comments in this thread apparently some do, wtf? Seriously? Want to see how quickly a federal government can take over a city government? Wait for one minute. Yup, that quick. No, not really. See how easy it is to talk bullshit while sounding like I'm batshit crazy? It's all shit, it really is... sad.

Moving on... next.
Happy trails...

[joossy]

You're all missing the one vital point i hav made


No law has passed that tourists wont be able to by weed in amsterdam

Boner mentions the 1st jan 2013, but no law is coming in on that date. it will be discussed this year but nothing has been agreed.

Haarlam is a different kettle of fish to Amsterdam, don't confuse the two.

If coffeeshops were due to close in amsterdam in 2013 dont you think those amsterdam coffeeshops would be trying to stop it????? There not because they are not closing in Jan 2013!

They are promoting that everything is fine in amsterdam, check out their websites, speak to them. if they were worried about closing they could promote one more year left of amsterdam and make an absolute killing, they are not because there is not one year left!

[joossy]

oh and Holland did not give 80 billion euros! maybe 80 million but def not 80 billion!

Im only commenting on Amsterdam, not the rest of the country where things look a lot less bright for coffeeshops.

[Smokey McPot]

Joosy.. I can tell you that Amsterdam Coffeeshop owners are worried about this,I spoke with a few on my last trip a couple of weeks ago

I don't know why you think Amsterdam will be different from the rest of the country..

"Beginning Jan. 1, 2013, coffee shops in the entire country, including Amsterdam, will be off limits for marijuana-seeking foreigners.

The new measure would also forbid any coffee shops within 1,150 feet of a school from 2014 onward - a measure that would mean the closure of around half of Amsterdam's coffee shops"
To quote Marijke Shahsavari-Jansen (a CDA member of Amsterdam council) "Amsterdam likes to consider itself a republic within the monarchy of the Netherlands," laughed Shahsavari-Jansen. "AmsteLrdam is the capital of the Netherlands and Dutch law applies to it as much as it applies to any other city."

[verticalSquare]

You're all missing the one vital point i hav made


No law has passed that tourists wont be able to by weed in amsterdam

An owner of a coffeeshop just told us that tourists WON'T be able to buy weed in Amsterdam from Jan 2013. How is this so difficult to understand? He was told this by the mayor of Tilburg - do you think that its some sort of practical joke or something? Laws change in countries all the time - there's nothing particularly surprising about it. No offense, but you're coming across as one of these conspiracy theorists who rant on about the kennedy assasination / alien landings etc. The point is, that unless you actually have evidence to back up what you say, you end up coming across as a crank. And as I already pointed out, you don't have ANY evidence at all. So you're simply rumour mongering and making the situation worse than it already is. This wouldn't matter so much, perhaps, but I would imagine that its infuriating for people like N, who actually work in this industry, understand this situation better than you and I ever will and are worried about losing his livlihood. This situation doesn't matter to you at all, really, but it does matter to him, so maybe show some respect and actually read what he said in the last few posts...

[verticalSquare]

double post...

[Marco]

Oh, but it will be a Dutch passport they are using, there will NOT BE A PHYSICAL PASS OR CARD!!!!

so, no fake cards, and if the shops are going to use an ID machine, they will also register every time one visits a coffeeshop. This means you could use you drivers license by frequenting a coffeeshop, no mouth swaps needed.

Insurance companies are already planning to raise the health insurance premium for those who register as a DRUGS USER in a coffeeshop, etc.....

can you smell the sting?

So it will really be limited to Dutch passport holders, and will exclude EU citizens who have the IND residence sticker in their passport (not to mention non-EU citizens who have the IND sticker).

FIrst i have heard of that.

[Marco]

An unfair request really, If resident ACDers elected to help their friends from this forum in getting round the law by buying weed for them when they are in town, I suppose it could be legally looked on as dealing, not to mention the not inconsiderable hassle it would put them to in meeting up at certain times etc, which as we know in Amsterdam can be flexible.

Sorry to answer this now, I thought I had Bilbo. When Dutch people come over to Australia and ask residents to get them weed, well that is illegal. Is it wrong of me to say I'd help you out when your in my neck of the woods, when because it is now going to be illegal to sell to me Dutch residents wouldn't?

It is sorta my point. Of course someone will score me weed.

Also Joosy I think you are deluding yourself. But i hope I am deluding myself.

It is ridiculous to ask this question over and over on a public forum. Stop it.

[joossy]

My point is no law has changed! There is no law that amsterdam will not serve tourists cannabis from jan 2012, no law whatsoever!!!! How many times do I have to say that?????

There is a proposed law change yes, but nothing that has been agreed!!!!!!!!!

As of Jan 30th 2012 there is no law that as of jan 2013 tourists wont be able to buy weed in amsterdam!!!!!!!!!!

At the moment ( as far as amsterdam goes ) it is all talk , so yes protest and make your points to government but dont come on here scaremongering that no tourist will be able to buy weed in dam from jan 2103 because its simply not true!!!!!!!!!!!!

As to people saying they have spoken to coffeeshop owners in dam and they are worried, dont you think if they were closing in 11 months they would be past the worrying stage!!!!!!!!!!!