Maastricht says cannabis cafe card plan must be delayed

[Balou]

The government must delay for at least a year its plans to force Maastricht cannabis cafes to become members only clubs, a majority of city councillors said on Monday.

The southern city is also calling on other border towns to join its campaign for a delay to the new rules, which the government says are necessary to combat drugs nuisance and organised crime.

Maastricht argues the council can only enforce the new system once the conditions for the introduction have been agreed, and when a decision has been taken on extra policing.

Opposition

There is widespread opposition to the introduction of members only clubs for cannabis users. Councils argue there will be an increase in street dealing as non-members and tourists try to buy soft drugs.

Only people officially living in the Netherlands will be able to join a cannabis club, which will have a maximum of between 1,000 and 1,500 members. According to the justice ministry, this does not conflict with EU law.

Maastricht coffee shop owners have already banned all but Dutch, German and Belgian nationals from buying soft drugs in an effort to reduce the number of drugs tourists.

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

[radjew]

Tourists to be banned from Dutch cannabis cafes

Non-Dutch residents will be banned from cannabis-selling coffee shops in southern Netherlands from January 1 to spare locals from the nuisance of drug tourism, the justice ministry said Tuesday.

The centre-right government of Prime Minister Mark Rutte has since September 2010 been weighing a "cannabis card", reserved for nationals and obligatory when visiting one of the country's 670 licenced coffee shops.

"The measure will come into force for the (southern) provinces of Limburg, North-Brabant and Zeeland, the provinces most affected by drug tourism, on January 1," justice ministry spokeswoman Charlotte Menten told AFP.

Under the new policy, which some have warned could drastically curb tourism revenues, licenced coffee shops will be considered private clubs with a maximum of 2,000 members limited to Dutch residents who are older than 18.

Menten said the measures would come into force in the rest of the country in January 2013.

The policy aims to cut down traffic jams, nocturnal disturbances, and the abundance of drug pushers catering to the millions of foreign tourists drawn to the Netherlands by its relaxed marijuana laws.

Coffee shop owners have come out against the measures, citing expected losses in revenue.

The European Court of Justice ruled in December that banning foreigners was justified "by the objective of combating drug tourism and the accompanying public nuisance".

The Dutch government also plans to introduce a policy, coming into force in January 2014, requiring coffee shops to be at least 350 meters (1,200 feet) away from schools, to keep drug consumption away from children, Menten said.

Though technically illegal, the Netherlands decriminalised the possession of less than five grammes (0.18 ounce) of cannabis in 1976 under a so-called "tolerance" policy.


http://www.expatica.com/nl/news/dutch-n ... 87308.html


This is also from todays news meaning, again, things become confusing unless you know the ins and outs of dutch law. The march to cripple them is on. This government have been sailvating in the wings for ages and the allegience with the peroxide fascist gives them carte blanche.

[Trad]

Coffee shops introduce marijuana ID from January 1
From January 1, coffee shops in the south of The Netherlands must be private clubs that keep out tourists.

One year later this restriction will also be applicable to shops in the rest of the country. This reported the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf based on elaborate plans by the minister of Security and Justice Ivo Opstelten. Although yet announced in the coalition agreement, the minister now announces the introduction’s time schedule.

Soon, a marijuana ID will be required for entering a coffee shop. Customers can only register at shops in their own village. Owners should keep a list which is used to verify whether people furtively resell drugs to tourists.

Minister Opstelten will also speed up the restriction of coffee shops that are run within a 350m radius to schools. They are given to 2014 to find a new accommodation. After that, he will take strong action, says news agency Novum.

http://www.nrc.nl


Taken from the ShayanaShop inter-web site.

[sh@dy]

de telegraf....yes, sure....

[bigdaddyk]

iv just come back from eindhoven. Yesterday in coffee shop high times, i saw the notices up on the wall saying that from 1st january a wietpass will be introduced in brabants, zeeland and limburg. I asked the budtender and he said they will make an announcement in early december.

[sh@dy]

then we will soon be going to Copenhagen

[ed the head]

The government must delay for at least a year its plans to force Maastricht cannabis cafes to become members only clubs, a majority of city councillors said on Monday.
...
There is widespread opposition to the introduction of members only clubs for cannabis users. Councils argue there will be an increase in street dealing as non-members and tourists try to buy soft drugs.

"The three cities, along with Den Bosch and the four main cities, have voted against the plan, saying it will lead to an increase in street dealing."
http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2 ... _becom.php

I see this as great news and I hope the Dutch municipalities continue to rally around opposition to this madness. Thanks for the post Balou, you saved me the trouble!

[radjew]

anyone know who has the final say on this (regional government vs national government) ?? From another thread I looked at they can't change things in Amsterdam till 2015 so surely other cities can opt out ??

[east_island]

The east is growing economically and socially where the west is in clear decline, Casinos open up in Singapore and they are always full..even during weekdays! China has slowed but still a power house in manufacturing..and its tourism sector growing year on year. We can judge and say what we want about the east but the truth remains that they are living it up while europe is on the verge of recession....and permits itself the bliss of possibly destroying a major player of the tourist sector of the NL....CS's

In light of this I am very curious to see where Europe and the 'European' concept ends up!?! Conservative govt's in a variety of European countries are working hand in hand with the current NL govt. to fight the war against marijuana when there are many more vital, real, solid, immediate issues to deal with: hard narcotics, alcohol, tobacco, human trafficking, corruption and abuse of power in key positions, unemployment, social segregation, environment, etc.

Personally I think and believe that if things continue this way then bye-bye european union and hopefully Holland will look at its national interests by telling the rest of europe that if they don't want non-dutch tourists visiting CS's then its THEIR problem not a problem of the NL or a problem of those people who enjoy a good smoke without being a nuisance for anybody. The importance of CS's, both economically and socially, hopefully will not be underestimated by the NL and they will logically act towards safeguarding a sector of the economy which is world renowned and brings CASH (not theories or politics) into the pockets of all Dutch citizens, directly or indirectly....especially when the economic outlook for europe looks VERY VERY bleak.

[Pierre von Mondragon]

Singapore is a fascist state that executes weed traffickers, and, much as I am sure that UK business would love to be able to give workers the same rights as in China, we won't give up the rights we've died and killed for in the past, and would again for certain. Their citizens will demand less repression sooner or later, they always do. If anything finishes off prohibition, I reckon it will be the science of it, the whole ECS immune system thing I'm not enough of a scientist to effectively understand. That and militant stubbornness.

Had thought of going south on my next trip, but def won't bother if this is the case. As ever, research is the key.

[Dark_Wing]

Didn't you know there's a war on science too?

[dconstrukt]

so theres a ban now on jan 1st?

i'm so f'n confused now.

[Cisco]

There is a proposed ban in Limburg from 01 12 yes , although the provinces involved don't wanna do it (that's my impression reading above) but there are signs in Eindhoven coffeeshops informing peeps about the ban sad times

Wether or not it is actually gonna happen is another matter , but presently it certainly seems that way

[dconstrukt]

what about the dam?

[Balou]

what about the dam?

Enjoy your trip and stop worrying. You're going to AMSTERDAM

Peace