Smoking in coffee shops will be allowed

Puffin13 · Post by **Puffin13** » Wed 4th Jul 2007 10:43 am

Smoking in coffee shops will be allowed

Wednesday 04 July 2007

Health minister Ab Klink announced late last night in parliament that coffee shops, where cannabis can be sold legally, will not be threatened by the smoking ban which takes effect on July 1 2008, the Volkskrant reports on Wednesday.

'If we want to stop our policy of toleration, we should just do so, and not use the ban as an excuse,' he told MPs. However, despite the urging of Labour, centre-left D66 and the Green Left party, coffee shops will not be entirely exempt from the ban.

Klink insists that the counters where cannabis is sold must be smoke free. But as long as they are divided from the rest of the room, smoking on the premises will be allowed.

Klink also wants health insurers to include nicotine patches and courses on how to stop smoking in the basic health care package, according to the NOS news site. And he is also considering allowing insurers to offer people with a healthy lifestyle a lower premium.

The minister will present a full package of ideas for preventative healthcare after the summer recess.

Source: http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2 ... will_b.php

Tall Guy · Post by **Tall Guy** » Wed 4th Jul 2007 11:00 am

Please please let it be! I don't understand how the staff can clear tables etc in the "smoke zone", perhaps they could wear space suits blowing in fresh air direct from the Dutch Alps?

Puffin many thanks for keeping us up to date.

skars · Post by **skars** » Wed 4th Jul 2007 11:04 am

Haha Dutch alps? did I miss something?

Puffin13 · Post by **Puffin13** » Wed 4th Jul 2007 11:59 am

My pleasure, Tall Guy. Your most welcome.

I truely hope these politicans quit f*ckin around with the coffeeshops. Like Klink said "'If we want to stop our policy of toleration, we should just do so, and not use the ban as an excuse". I totally agree! They have made so many petty-ass coffeeshop rules & regualtions already. Leave us alone! We just wanna smoke in peace. We are not harming anyone! Peace.

Tall Guy wrote:Please please let it be! I don't understand how the staff can clear tables etc in the "smoke zone", perhaps they could wear space suits blowing in fresh air direct from the Dutch Alps?

Puffin many thanks for keeping us up to date.

USbongLord · Post by **USbongLord** » Wed 4th Jul 2007 12:14 pm

PUFFIN WITH GOOD NEWS?....MUST BE THE 4TH OF JULY....WAIT IT IS!...HAPPY 4TH EVERY ONE..ILL LIGHT ONE FOR YOU PUFFIN...HAVE A GREAT HOLIDAY..NOW ,WHERES THE FUSE?

JayK · Post by **JayK** » Wed 4th Jul 2007 12:26 pm

Great news!!

Although the Dutch parliament seem to change their minds almost daily about issues like these so I'll wait and see for now

chopitup · Post by **chopitup** » Wed 4th Jul 2007 02:49 pm

omg... common sense prevails???

Congratulations to the Dutch legislators.

cheese · Post by **cheese** » Wed 4th Jul 2007 03:01 pm

yeah seriously JayK... i always notice what is being mentioned about coffeeshops or smoking bans change daily... but hell i will smoke a big one for that good news anyway!! lol just cause we can..

hope the good news keeps on coming

cheers everyone!!!