Dutch look at weeding out cannabis cafés (Libertarian potheads weep, confronted by common sense)

Financial Times online ^ | 10/08/10 | Stanley Pignal

[heye2monn]

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.

The equation that led to the policy of tolerance has changed in the past decade, as large-scale crime around both coffee shops and the legal sex trade became more visible.

[jmacusa]

If pot were legal and I wanted to smoke it I sure would wait six months or more to grow it. I’d go and buy it at some store. Who brews their own beer instead of just going to a liquor store?

[aces]

Good point, but either way the cartel would hurt, but like liquor, they would become legal, then there is no need to kill and mame for production..

[jmacusa]

‘’then theres no need to kill or maim for production’’. Quite right. Imagine if the board of directors for Seagrams thought it good business practice to go wipe out the board of directors of Budwieser. In truth though I think the real reason drugs remain illegal is that for too many, i.e banks, governments etc. it’s just too profitable an enterprise to make legit. Imagine them having to pay tax on what is now entirely un-taxable income?

[aces]

I am sure that is true, there is no doubt that the government at some level is involved...supply, sell, and jail..making money at every end...

[aces]

Its the muslims supplying the hashish to the dutch..

[jmacusa]

Yup, you’re 100% right. . Here in Ocean Co. NJ were I live about fifteen years ago the county prosecutor and his wife were owners/operators of a string of drug rehab centers. He busted the druggies and sent them to his wife’s rehabs.( forced recovery,doncha’ know) Garbage in, garbage out...

[jmacusa]

Yeah, the hash comes straight out of the Bakka Valley in Syria. Ain’t that something?

[Eva]

There are so many complications to the legalization of marijuana that it’s difficult to know where to begin.

First of all, you won’t be able to collect tax on the sale of marijuana because they sellers would be subjecting themselves to prosecution of a federal crime.

Second is the fact that companies who drug test will still drug test because they don’t want alcohol or drugs used on the job and marijuana stays in the system for a month. Sure, the employee will be able to demand a more expensive test, but the companies will probably require the employee to pay for the more expensive test at the time of the random test failure.

Third is the fact that marijuana is just as carcinogenic as tobacco, if not more so. The second smoke complaint is inevitable, as well as the law suits against the sellers and producers. This will be a gold mine for lawyers.