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Sound-off
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- Posted May 3, 2012 by
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Prohibition has never worked, and never will
http://www.themarknews.com/articles/8476-coffee-shops-cannabis-smokers-flout-netherlands-pot-law
It’s pretty much common knowledge that in the Netherlands, you can go and enjoy some high quality marijuana with your friends and the locals without fear of legal retaliation. But a new law that was recently enacted is already causing uproar. Now, unless you are a citizen of The Netherlands, you cannot purchase marijuana from coffee shops legally. Citizens of The Netherlands aren’t getting off easy either, the sale is limited to 5.0grams per day and is limited to 2,000 registered citizens.
This has had an immediate impact on the economy and well being of the country. Many coffee shops are simply ignoring the new law, some are flat out closing down in protest, and marijuana smokers are smoking out in public in broad daylight to show they don’t care instead of smoking privately in coffee shops where they previously were allowed to with no restriction. This is causing a dangerous black market to move it’s way into the Netherlands which lowers the quality of the cannabis, increases price, and throws the product into a grey area where some people now have to buy it illegally even though other citizens have legal access to it whenever they please. This, to put it short and simple, is solid PROOF that prohibition simply does not work. It has done no good, and many citizens would say it is a pointless law.
I had the pleasure of doing a Facebook interview with a Netherlands resident who has already been directly impacted by the new law. Here’s what he has to say:
Frank: what part of The Netherlands are you from?
Remco: I live in Belgium at the moment. I used to live and work in Maastricht.
Frank: How has this new law impacted you directly?
Remco: It cost me my job. Used to work at one of the biggest shops in Holland
Frank: What do you use Marijuana for personally?
Remco: I have ADHD and Osteoarthritis; so, medically mainly. But I have smoked since I was 16 so recreational too I guess.
Frank: Does having Marijuana as part of your culture present any obvious downsides?
Remco: Not for me
Frank: How about for the country as a whole?
Remco: I don’t think so. We don’t have more people using it than other countries. We gained a lot of tax money. If you look at Portugal now and 10 years ago, that should explain everything. It’s a huge step back, these new laws.
Frank: Thank you for the quick interview!
It’s pretty much common knowledge that in the Netherlands, you can go and enjoy some high quality marijuana with your friends and the locals without fear of legal retaliation. But a new law that was recently enacted is already causing uproar. Now, unless you are a citizen of The Netherlands, you cannot purchase marijuana from coffee shops legally. Citizens of The Netherlands aren’t getting off easy either, the sale is limited to 5.0grams per day and is limited to 2,000 registered citizens.
This has had an immediate impact on the economy and well being of the country. Many coffee shops are simply ignoring the new law, some are flat out closing down in protest, and marijuana smokers are smoking out in public in broad daylight to show they don’t care instead of smoking privately in coffee shops where they previously were allowed to with no restriction. This is causing a dangerous black market to move it’s way into the Netherlands which lowers the quality of the cannabis, increases price, and throws the product into a grey area where some people now have to buy it illegally even though other citizens have legal access to it whenever they please. This, to put it short and simple, is solid PROOF that prohibition simply does not work. It has done no good, and many citizens would say it is a pointless law.
I had the pleasure of doing a Facebook interview with a Netherlands resident who has already been directly impacted by the new law. Here’s what he has to say:
Frank: what part of The Netherlands are you from?
Remco: I live in Belgium at the moment. I used to live and work in Maastricht.
Frank: How has this new law impacted you directly?
Remco: It cost me my job. Used to work at one of the biggest shops in Holland
Frank: What do you use Marijuana for personally?
Remco: I have ADHD and Osteoarthritis; so, medically mainly. But I have smoked since I was 16 so recreational too I guess.
Frank: Does having Marijuana as part of your culture present any obvious downsides?
Remco: Not for me
Frank: How about for the country as a whole?
Remco: I don’t think so. We don’t have more people using it than other countries. We gained a lot of tax money. If you look at Portugal now and 10 years ago, that should explain everything. It’s a huge step back, these new laws.
Frank: Thank you for the quick interview!
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