Posted on 10/08/2010 7:28:27 PM PDT by massmike
Coffee shops legally selling cannabis have been a feature of Amsterdam’s streets for more than 30 years, both a magnet for younger tourists and a symbol of the Dutch brand of liberal exceptionalism.
But the fragrant haze found in the city’s 200 or so establishments could be dispersed under plans by the incoming government, which is looking to roll back the “tolerance policy” that has allowed such coffee shops to operate since 1976.
Coinciding with a tightening of laws around prostitution – another tolerated industry – the authorities’ new stance on cannabis is raising questions as to whether Dutch society is moving away from laisser-faire traditions, which have included some of the earliest gay-friendly policies in Europe and the provision of free contraception to teenage girls.
(Excerpt) Read more at ft.com ...
I wonder if the pictures of Bob Marley come with an explanation of how he died.
Those were the days.
Would it not be smart if America learned from the mistakes of Europe..
DUH..........
At the end of the day, immortality proved unsustainable.
This is phase two of the ongoing effort to remake dutch society into something more islam friendly.
Weedbucks ®
Until you’ve gone to Amsterdam and spent a day or two walking around the city...do you realize the various issues. The amount of petty crime around the city is serious. Tourist will be selected and followed by local dopers just to steal a camera for the equivalent of twenty bucks.
I sat one day in a decent small resturant. Some twenty-five year old gal was sitting there and eating. She was alone, and spent almost 90 minutes eating from a plate of chicken nuggets. She was continually amazed at the size and shape of the nuggets....gazing for six to eight minutes at each one before eating it. Almost every customer in this shop was watching her. It was summer and probably 85 degrees....but she was wearing a fall jacket as she sat there. After she left, the owner came up and apologized...he had to serve people like that but he considered them “less-than-human”.
I got the impression after a weekend there that most of the locals had grown tired of it’s two-percent problem in the city. They hate the tourists. And they’d prefer to modify the city’s behavior...even if it costs them tourism.
“This is phase two of the ongoing effort to remake dutch society into something more islam friendly.”
Doesn’t Islam use cannabis and shun alcohol?
It’s more than a bit of a shame that the Muslims and the Conservatives are on the same side of these particular issues. I submit that legislating morality is something that it is very dangerous for government to get into the habit of doing.
I believe they shun everything but coffee and qat.
Marley died from malignant melanoma that had metastasized to the brain. Does that relate to pot?
Were you under the misapprehension that governments can legislate something other than morality? Physics perhaps?
The fact that Muslims legislate the moral issues of theft and arson does not make me ashamed to do so as well.
If the article were about tobacco, the description would be "toxic haze".
I don’t understand why the authorities there can’t deal with petty crime, even if drugs were tolerated. I suspect someone in LE there wants petty crime to be a problem, possibly for ulterior motives.
I think he smoked so much dope that he gave himself cancer. He died a horrible death.
Have been to Amsterdam on my travels and yes tourists generated the money but they leave and the city has to clean up afterwards..
San Francisco is doing the same crap and it will bite them in the ass....
One can legislate the protection of life, liberty and property, and enforcing contracts, and that sort of thing, without getting into morality. But, it’s not enough for the Taliban and I gather that it’s not enough for you, either. Pity.
The Drug Warriors have wanted a war for a long time - now they’re starting to get one, what with Texans being shot on their property or on lakes and such these days. I hope they’re happy about getting their wish, because I’m not.
“I got the impression after a weekend there that most of the locals had grown tired of it’s two-percent problem in the city. They hate the tourists.”
I’ve lived in and traveled all over SE Asia and the same is true there, but the target of locals’ discontent is more aptly termed there - “the backpackers.” Those scum ask/take anything and everything, never leave a tip but always leave trash and plenty of odor. PLUS, they chase out the desirable clientele.
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