British tabloid press says Amsterdam to end pot tourism

[Connoisseur]

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2005510311,00.html

Don't know what this is all about but if it's true then it's bloody typical as I'm meant to be finally moving to the Netherlands in January 2006. Be just about my luck to find I'm in as poor a situation as I am here in France.
Anyone have any other information about this or is the moral of the story don't believe what you read in right wing sensationalist tabloid rags?

[just another guest poster]

I know that article came from the SUN of all places but is it actually true??
I have a holiday there In march and that would really bum the holiday for me.
so if anyone knows what is going on any information will be appreciated.

thanks

[qahouaji]

Not going to happen man, not going to happen--

I've seen nothing on any news site that's reliable that indicates any such thing.

Peace.
Qahouaji

[qahouaji]

hi--

after jumping up and my heart pounding for old a'dam, i went to as many related sites as i could...

...uk420 being a reliable one. This is the "real" dirt. CDA is only up to its old tricks again.

apparently they presented "changes" to the EP, and a "pilot program" is to be launched in Maastricht in January, 2006, limiting pot sales to Dutch nationals.

(The "pilot program" for UK's reclassification took a year and a half)

But this "bold step" in the "glorious fight" against drugs was attempted, that too at the EU Parliament, back in 2003.

The reason I've no doubt that NOTHING is going to happen is because all these "changes" must be ratified by the Dutch Parliament. Every indication tells me that this will never happen. CDA is the only party against coffeeshops.

Donner or Balkenende could, I guess, declare some kind of "state of emergency" like the one in France. I doubt it would last very long, and doubt still further that such a government would survive very long.

Smoke rules!

Qahouaji

[reggie the dog]

fuck, i am going to maastrich in February, guess I will have to drive to the next town to score some buds, too bad, I liked cafe Kosbar.

[reggie the dog]

whoo, it seems the ban is only against the British, i am American so i will be fine.

[reggie the dog]

now another newspaper says the ban we be against all foreigners. Is this all foreigners, just people from the UK, just people from the EU?, also i guess this means that lots of folks will hang out in coffeeshops and buy weed for foreigners, or that there will be a market in the street to sell to foreigners,

also what is up with this bit about the dutch govt. reclassifying cannabis as a hard drug, they say potentcy went up last year but how much stronger did your weed get in the last year?

nol, you got any info for us.

[Connoisseur]

Reggie, can you give a link to the other newspaper. I'm starting to worry that my move to the Netherlands is going to be marred by stinking right wing Dutch politicians and their lickspittle attitudes.

Here was me planning a part time career in a Coffeeshop while it looks as if I'll be having to grub around just to get a smoke. What is the world coming to? Anyone would think I was going to be living in France not the 'tolerant' Netherlands.

Can Nol or anyone else clear this up and tell us the truth?

[reggie the dog]

I have scoured the Canadian, French and American press, i have found nothing at http://www.norml.org , nothing at http://www.circ-asso.net , nothing at marijuana.com or marijuananews.com , i have seen nothing about this at cannabisculture.com , i have seen nothing at hightimes.com ,

i hope Nol takes a look at this thread soon and has some info for us.

at any rate i am coming to the dam in february. shrooms will still be sold to everyone at any rate.....

[qahouaji]

no--the politicians want it to happen that way, that's all I can conclude from reading. The articles make it sound like this is a done deal, and clearly it isn't. PvdA isn't "for" these changes either--most of their party rank and file want cannabis legalized.

The tabloid article does point out in its headline: "Dutch government wants to stop drugs tourism." Then it makes an authoritarian leap by pointing to the "submission" of this plan to the EU and the UN. The article (& the one on Netherlands Medihemp Ministry) make it sound like this has already been agreed to. It hasn't. No vote on the matter has taken place; it looks like these articles are scare tactics, almost: "Pot tourism to end soon!" or "From January 2006, no weed for foreigners!"

But the truth is it hasn't happened. We in the outside world of course are kept ignorant of dutch politics, but then this article hasn't really surfaced in Holland news much either.

Coffeeshops are part of Dutch policy and Dutch law. That means that changes have to be voted on and approved. And no such thing has happened. Folks, they're just not going to grab you and put you in court for entering a coffeeshop--if it were the "move" that was going to be taken, lots of people would have it in press.

I don't know who this Justice Minister attache is, but whoever he is he deserves to be slapped soundly. To proclaim a policy change without the votes needed and the consent needed to effect it as policy is a major blunder, something that they should be reprimanded for.

This isn't happening. When I log on and see these posts, I can't believe my eyes.

Qahouaji

[christian]

i've read similar articles in an austrian newspaper(der standard), which is usually quite credible, and am really anxious about that issue too, because i am planning to visit the sativa in early january..

qahouaji: are you absolutely sure that this whole thing is some kind of hoax!?

because otherwise, i'd be forced to cancel my reservation..(i can also smoke my dope illegally at home

regards
chris

[qahouaji]

christian--

I think you can count on it being of no issue whatsoever. If you're concerned, read the article at uk420.com. They explain: a "pilot project" is to be put into effect in Maastricht, which "if successful could be implemented throughout the country."

naturally this kind of sweeping change when printed causes hysteria and paranoia. no, I don't think--let me change that, I KNOW--you will not have to worry about it at all.

Peace,
Qahouaji

[christian]

qahouaji: yeah your right(and i am happy about that
just to be certain i wrote a few lines to the guys from the sativa and they confirmed me, that it is really just a pilot project in a completely other region of holland..

i am quite anxious about the press, that they exaggerate the whole issue so much.. after reading that article in the austrian news, for me, the great trips to the netherlands seemed to be over..

[reggie the dog]

so they really will not let us in the coffeeshops in Maastrich in February?


is this true???

can I still buy seeds in maastrich???

fuck I will just drive the 10 KM up the road to Geleen.