Amsterdam Coffeeshop Directory Forums

Seems to me this proposed rally is more or less the first movement of opposition to the wietpas plans that has got any real publicity whatever up till now.

I too think (like a previous poster) that the vast majority of the Dutch population are as straight as any other country's, and have the same attitude to tokers as people everywhere; that is to say, they don't care, or are hostile. But why are Dutch tokers not resisting these wietpas plans tooth and nail? If they are, where are we hearing about it?

It's one thing banning us foreigners from coffeeshops, but as Mr Van Schaik confirmed in a recent press release, Dutch smokers themselves will be registered to one single coffeeshop in their municipality and prevented from going to any others. They'll thus also have their personal details stored on a database of drug users. How vocal is the opposition to this project? It's a real game-changer for all Dutch tokers.

The coffeeshops in Roosendal and Bergen-op-Zoom went down very easily, the Checkpoint in Terneuzen is finished and Maastricht is currently closed for toking to all but the Dutch, Belgians and Germans. The alcohol ban, the distance-from-schools measure, 15% THC and now this... seems pretty clear the current administration is trying to put an end to coffeeshops.

I have no idea if this 4.20 smoke-out is the best plan going, but unless something changes, in January next year it'll all be over for coffeeshops, at least as we have known them.

Am I wrong?

Tranquilised wrote:Wow, amazing negativity on here for the first positive movement against these creeping laws which get worse every year.

The weedpass thing is the first of the many encroachments on coffeeshop culture in the last few years that would purely affect tourists, so why shouldn't they complain about being discriminated against, something which as far as I know exists in no other country apart from along the usual lines of race and religion?

The Dutch coffeeshop supporters don't seem to have protested too loudly about no alcohol/smoking ban/proximity to schools/THC limit (or if they have I have seen no evidence of it or success from it) and so they keep coming and getting slowly implemented. People who say there are better things to do on the day have clearly never got off their arses and protested about anything in their lives; please don't enforce the stereotype of lazy stoners!

As for the protest itself, there is no such thing as bad publicity and I have never been on a legalise march that has been anything other than peaceful, law-abiding and one of the few occasions when the straight man on the street comes face to face with "the druggies" and realises that they are (mostly!) normal people too.

Am I right in thinking Amsterdam has always taken part in the May 1st round the world legalise protest previously? Were the proper permits always obtained for this? The "grey area" of cannabis supply to the shops has been tolerated for a long time, is there no grey area for protest also? This city has always been famous for grey areas of tolerance, be it prostitution, squatting, homosexuality or vegetarian food but yet again that unique attitude is being further eroded away as politicians continue to try to make the Netherlands as attractive as Belgium.

Do you not see what is happening around the world? Arab Spring, Occupy, students, London riots, public sector pensions, people are standing up like Peter Finch in Network and saying I'm mad as hell and I'm not gonna take this anymore! I have lost a lot of respect for posters whose contributions I have previously enjoyed after reading this thread, on the Amsterdam Coffeeshop Directory FFS, who seem content just to go back to sleep and let it happen. Well I hope you don't wake up in a police state!

How inspiring a sensible protest with informed speakers would be; I for one would be happy to talk about 20 years of coming here alone, with my girlfriend then wife who I proposed to here, with friends including my (well-behaved) stag night, spending my money everywhere from the sleaziest redlight bar to the Hilton and the Five Flies, and how I would no longer feel welcome to do so if I was being the subject of discrimination, surely the polar opposite of Dutch tolerance?

"What do we want"?
"I can't remember".
"When do we want it"?
"Uh could you just send it round some time man"

gixxer wrote:

Slip & Sal wrote:If he said that then he is the wanka.

or maybe you are too, wasnt too long ago you were spouting shite about peaceful demos
in your own words
wanka

I was just looking at what i had been told, that it was a peaceful protest, not a flash mob of wankas. I don't support dickheads. Guess I'd let you fall over hey Gixxer, now go fuck a potato would ya.

Cisco wrote:

Slip & Sal wrote:If he said that then he is the wanka.

What are you talking about here ? The mayor being behind Amsterdams coffeeshops or Peter Lunks statement ? Lol the Lunk character Is the organiser of this thing your behind so much

Peter Lunks Statement, That's what I said, he's a wanka, if that is what he said. I am behind a peaceful protest, which I had been told it was going to be. I do hope that somebody protests it, otherwise your gunna lose something that is awesome! You need your voices to be heard. You think the coffeeshops will still all be there, when they aren't making money from the tourist dollar? What do you think makes the drive for better and better weed? You wait until there is only two shops for locals and they give you shit or bioshit, maybe some crap hash. See ya later bitching about impurities and curing, you'll be like it is here. No strains, get what your given and hope, it's not wet.

Slip & Sal wrote:I am behind a peaceful protest, which I had been told it was going to be. I do hope that somebody protests it, otherwise your gunna lose something that is awesome! You need your voices to be heard. You think the coffeeshops will still all be there, when they aren't making money from the tourist dollar? What do you think makes the drive for better and better weed? You wait until there is only two shops for locals and they give you shit or bioshit, maybe some crap hash. See ya later bitching about impurities and curing, you'll be like it is here. No strains, get what your given and hope, it's not wet.

I haven't read the entire thread, so I won't comment on who said what, or the type of protest planned.
But Slip $ Sal hit the nail on the head, if nobody protests and makes some sort of noise about it, it's much easier for the government to make it happen.
As with most protests, the more people involved, the more "noise" that's made, the bigger chance of winning.
A non-violent protest of course.

Whatever happens, it will take a long time to implement, there will be court case after court case before it can be implemented, and the closer it gets to an election, the less important it will become to the government.
Unless of course, the vast majority of Dutch citizens are in favor of the weitpass, and are prepared to loose the tourist Euros.
If that is the case, as sad as it is for me and most of us here, then that is what should happen.

Anyone who cares and is against the pass, should be pleased that people are starting to make some noise about it.

Old Timer wrote:

Slip & Sal wrote:I am behind a peaceful protest, which I had been told it was going to be. I do hope that somebody protests it, otherwise your gunna lose something that is awesome! You need your voices to be heard. You think the coffeeshops will still all be there, when they aren't making money from the tourist dollar? What do you think makes the drive for better and better weed? You wait until there is only two shops for locals and they give you shit or bioshit, maybe some crap hash. See ya later bitching about impurities and curing, you'll be like it is here. No strains, get what your given and hope, it's not wet.

I haven't read the entire thread, so I won't comment on who said what, or the type of protest planned.
But Slip $ Sal hit the nail on the head, if nobody protests and makes some sort of noise about it, it's much easier for the government to make it happen.
As with most protests, the more people involved, the more "noise" that's made, the bigger chance of winning.
A non-violent protest of course.

Whatever happens, it will take a long time to implement, there will be court case after court case before it can be implemented, and the closer it gets to an election, the less important it will become to the government.
Unless of course, the vast majority of Dutch citizens are in favor of the weitpass, and are prepared to loose the tourist Euros.
If that is the case, as sad as it is for me and most of us here, then that is what should happen.

Anyone who cares and is against the pass, should be pleased that people are starting to make some noise about it.

well said!!!

Hi,
thought I'd leave my 5 cents in here too.

First of all, I applaud all initiatives to get cannabis legalized in every part of the world, every protest will always have my support, as I think they serve a worthy cause. After all, we still have the right to protest.

I do not understand why there is so much criticism on the planned 4:20 protest, this is, as the name shows, a site for and about coffeeshops and their visitors. Do we not get enough resistance from our government?

I am a Dutch citizen, and I happen to be the co-owner of 2 of the last 650 coffeeshops in the Netherlands. I feel we have the right to protest against the upcoming discrimination at the entrance of coffeeshops, consequence of the planned “Weedpass Project”.

Why, Cisco, did you hijack this thread to show your disapproval of this planned protest? Are you Dutch, and if not, where are you from, if I may be so bold to ask?
Your concern for the Amsterdam coffeeshops is heartwarming, but there's more to the Netherlands than Amsterdam. Amsterdam has 700.000 citizens, but only 50% of them are Dutch.
I worry about my colleagues in the whole country, especially about those in the Southern provinces, because they are the ones to be forced to discriminate big time from May 1, 2012.
I am very concerned about all the liberties we have lost in the Netherlands during the last conservative governments we had, not only in connection with coffeeshops...

I am going to protest on April 20, because I care,

Nol

What are the consequences of the “Weedpass System” for Dutch coffeeshop customers?

The Weedpass, that never was and never will be available in a physical form, is invented and intended to be able to refuse foreign coffeeshop visitors from our coffeeshops and cities by Justice Minister Ivo Opstelten. If that will ever happen remains very much the question, but if and when the Weedpass System will be activated it will not only affect millions of foreign coffeeshoppers, who will be denied entrance to the 650 tolerated coffeeshops in the Netherlands.
All Dutch coffeeshoppers will be denied entrance to 649 coffeeshops, some Dutch people will be refused in all 650!

The Weedpass System also includes the rule that a Dutch citizen can only register in 1 coffeeshop, and only in that coffeeshop he/she can buy and eventually smoke cannabis. Besides this 1 coffeeshop policy for the Dutch, Minister Opstelten also decided that a coffeeshop, that has to change its business form to become a membersclub, can not register and host more than 2000 members.
That will not be a problem in Amsterdam, most of their customers are foreign tourists, and the capital has 220 tolerated cannabis outlets to turn to. For Hoofddorp, for example, it will mean a huge problem arises, this city with around 200.000 inhabitants only allows one coffeeshop to operate. The Hoofddorpers can at least turn to nearby Amsterdam to register in a coffeeshop, if the system allows registration in another city. For the Dutch coffeeshoppers living in one of the Netherlands' 340 municipalities WITHOUT coffeeshops it is obvious, they have to buy from a street- or house dealer, they will be denied entrance to 650 coffeeshops, they get the same 'treatment' or restrictions as foreign cannabis tourists.

The sting is in the fact that every Dutch coffeeshopper has to register, as a drugs user, at 1 coffeeshop, in case he/she still wants to purchase cannabis from a reliable outlet. The data they supply can and will be abused by companies, employers and authorities, as the Dutch government is not capable to protect these against digital crime, like hacking.
A registration at a 'cannabisclub' turns a cannabis consumer in a known drugs user, we all know insurance companies, banks, employers, Police, the Justice Department and other public bodies do not want drugs users as clients or workers. A coffeeshop membership could in fact make you loose your drivers license, your job, your insurances, your mortgage and your home, only because you smoke a joint.

I think it is a good idea to hold a poll in Haarlem, together with my 15 colleagues, united in Team Haarlemse Coffeeshops (THC), in order to find out how many of our customers would register for membership at a cannabisclub. It might well be the coffeeshops will be completely empty after the introduction of the Weedpass System, meaning the coffeeshops are forced to close their doors all together. That, and that alone is the motivation behind the Weedpass System of Justice Minister Opstelten & Co., they know as well as I do that a coffeeshop with 6 customers can not stay open.

It is about time the Dutch coffeeshoppers become aware of the fact that they may all have to buy their cannabis on the street one day, because of Opstelten's scheme, the coffeeshops will not survive this evil 'adjustment'.
The introduction of the Weedpass will be on May 1, 2012, in three provinces in Hollands' border area's, the rest of the country should follow on Januari 1, 2013. There is a protest planned against the Weedpass System and the connected discrimination of both Dutch and foreign cannabis fans.
If you want to let our government know you do not want to be registered as a drugs user, and you do not wish to be discriminated in your own country by 649 or even 650 coffeeshops, join us on April 20, 2012 (4:20) on the Smoke Out in Amsterdam.

I will surely go there to contribute my voice and smoke, I fear for the worst!

Nol van Schaik, coffeeshop entrepreneur.

Info about the protest: http://www.facebook.com/groups/181498241946853/

updates on the Dutch cannabis culture: http://www.coffeeshopnieuws.nl

Maybe it takes a huge crowd of smokers in the streets, to give Holland little taste of what might be coming with the shit pass. With the pass in force those kind of smoke outs might even repeat...

Hey Nol thanks for providing some info , I'm from Scotland if that matters ? The reason I "hi-jacked" this thread was to give my opinion which I believe is the whole point of forums ?

Tbh I suppose my opinion is an ignorant one , as I don't know all the facts . My understanding of this whole situation is a reaction to so called disturbances , nuisances etc ? Also that these concerns are more to do with Border towns ? And that the Mayor of Amsterdam is supporting coffeeshop owners of Amsterdam and is totally against it (wietpass) so surely by (whatever you wanna call it) in Amsterdam is playing into the oppositions hands ?

Surely this movement would maybe have more backing/support if these happenings were to happen where the changes are already being felt , Masstricht etc ?

So we will see you in Amsterdam on 420 Nol ? Or are other events planned in other cities/towns ?

The 420 'protest meeting' is just a peacefull event to show that dutch nor foreign people agree with the new rules...
And to make people and entrepeneurs aware of the economic impact this will have.
And that we dont want to be discriminated on any level.

The date 420 was chosen because on this date many tourists are allready in Amsterdam or planning to visit...
Thus the most logic date to use...
Plus it is on the verge of the new rules being enforced from may 1st 2012...

The next step that Nol van Schaik will initiate is to find (and we allready have some) foreign cannabis loving tourists who want to start the legal battle with us...
We will drive a bus to Maastricht and they will try to enter a few coffeeshops and most probably be refused entry.

Here the legal battles with lawyers and judges begins against the Gov. that forces the coffeeshop owners to force their staff to discriminate.

The stamp every euro idea was allready made in the form of infocards...
Check here: http://www.coffeeshopnieuws.nl/index.ph ... rist-cards

Greetz,
Peter Lunk
http://www.coffeeshopnieuws.nl

Yes it';s true the mayor of Amsterdam, van de Laan, says he doesnt want the weedpass and is totally against it.

But the Minister of Justice and Safety Mister Opstelten has declared on national news television and in printed statements that AMsterdam nor any other city or town has a choice and the rules will be enforced everywhere starting Jan 1st 2013 ...

Mind you the rules allready started on Jan 1st 2012...
Just the Minister Opstelten has given al the municipalities time to implement the rules and prepare for enforcing them until may 1st 2012

Opstelten:
"On Jan 1st 2013 the rest of the Netherlands including Amsterdam will follow and they do not have a choice in this"

greetz,
Peter Lunk
http://facebook.com/mrlunk

.

glad my trips in november then...have fun storming the castle

I think the stamping of currency is a great idea as is the cards , however only business owners will see the cards whereas the currency stamp idea could reach the whole population and more

Also economically (if that's an angle) is it not an idea to do the opposite and try persuade people to stay away from the coffeeshops for a couple of days or a week , I'm sure that would be felt ?


Jus brainstorming


I won't be campaigning on 420 , but that doesn't mean I don't care

High again

Stamping / printing / writing on money (official gov documents) is forbidden by law and thus risky to us organisers...

Thus the cards..

I'll start thinking about a good way to approach the public with a card too... good point there...

Maybe such as:
"Don't Close the Coffeeshops to Tourists, they will find weed elsewhere.
Wich will cause more nuissance then the coffeeshops themself."
and:
"Your city will be millions short in tax. money if the new tolerance policy starts discriminating against non dutch citizens."
Any better suggestions/additional lines allways welcome...

---

Nol and me started a CoffeeShopSTRIKE in 2010 on the election day.
We sent out snail-mailings to all coffeeshops (660approx)...
But only 7 responded eventually only about 20 joined ...

We did this to inform and encourage the coffeeshoppers to vote for Pro cannabis parties...

We did make adifference in Haarlem and Alkmaar, these were the cities in wich the participating shops closed and with that shut down all the shops of these cities...
Those two cities were the only 2 in NL where the Pro-cannabis parties actually GREW !

We are both convinced that if all shops would have joined in we could have made for a wholly different gov. then we have now....

Nol's call to action on dutch TV:

Video on TV News about the day of the coffeeshopstaking:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNipr8fU-b0

....

And the proof that even small peacefull smoke-out Hash-mobs work:

http://www.zideo.nl/video/view/playzide ... 546d773d3d

We smoked out the Mayor of Haarlem because he was confiscating weed under 5 grams from coffeeshoppers and giving out tickets for smoking in the streets where there was absolutely no nuissance caused. (no people around for at least 400 meters.)

We went with a relatively small group and a letter from our lawyer demanding this crap would stop...

Video:
http://www.zideo.nl/video/view/playzide ... 546d773d3d

And the papers we had made up by the lawyers: (in dutch)
http://coffeeshopnieuws.nl/docs/Brief%2019-03-2010.pdf

We know what we are doing

grtz,
PL

thats what the boys at the fukashima nuclear reactor in japan said,we know what were doing have fun at the waffle hut