Holland bans mushrooms, BZP, growshops, smoking in coffeeshops, information and more

[Alfa]

It is a black day in the history of the Dutch drug policy. In the 6 hour long session of parliament that has just ended, the following was decided and presented. I will probably fail to list everything, but you will get the picture.

1. Magic Mushrooms will be banned.
2. Growshops / hydrophonic stores will be banned.
3. Smoking in coffeeshops will no longer be allowed, though there is a possibility to create a space where coffeeshop personal has no access and that can be used as a smoking area.
4. Supplying products, substances, information, etc for the use of the production of cannabis will be come illegal.
5. The closure of coffeeshops within certain distance from schools will have to be completed in 2011.
6. The promotion or description of coffeeshops and placing information about them by coffeeshops themselves on the internet, will be banned/prosecuted.
7. BZP will be banned shortly.

The minister of justice placed the remark that it is not possible to close down all coffeeshops at once. Various Christian parties requested national addiction offices to implement the Minnesota method. Is this a Christian approach to addiction treatment?

As said I am likely forgetting several other disasters, but these are my biggest frustrations now.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Thank you for sharing the news.

[Coconut]

A black day indeed. =/

[Joe Duffy]

That’s very very sad!

[Psyduck]

Sad news.

-Will all bans be effective immediately (i.e. tomorrow)?
-I only watched one hour of the debate live. But were there people who were against the magic mushroom ban or was it unanimously decided that it must be banned?
-What are the odds that they ever will reconsider this ban (under another prime minister) or is it very likely the ban is permanent?

[Alfa]

Laws will be released shortly. Some bans will have to pass parliament and have to be voted on, but the majority of parliament wants to get rid of the liberal drug policy. The measures announced today will place the Netherlands among the more stricter countries of Europe. Even though we still have part of the coffeeshops open for now, many things that are legal in most other European countries will soon be legal.

The minister of health made it very clear that he will find it a fun task to fully eradicate the growshops. Oh yeah; while not decided upon yet, there has been discussion about DARE like education projects on schools. Thank god the spraying of schools with drug detection spray is not going to be set in stone, but left up to the discretion of schools. As is the case with urine tests at schools.
Traffic drug tests will be put into place.

[Nose Dive]

Oh my shit.... Bang goes my 21st birthday! Man, that really, really sucks.

[pipolito]

it is a step back for drugs in general.

[0utrider]

and SWIM planned to study in NL:.


btw. does SWIY have infos about opiates substitution programs in NL? just general..

[mushroom_junkie]

Fuck.This.Shit man.

[juanathan]

what irks me is the legislation on the spread of information over the internet! will they throw people in jail for spreading information on sites like these?


if the "Christians" are responsible for this, history hath repeat itself, for this isn't the first christian witchhunt.

[Thirdedge]

So who voted these Christians in in the first place, and more importantly, how can we get rid of them, quick?

[pipolito]

Could you give any sources ?

[Alfa]

Originally Posted by Shampoo

does this not violate it in some way?

We will know that after the release of the new laws.

Originally Posted by pipolito

Could you give any sources ?

For those who can read Dutch; here is the whole debate:
Tekst van het drugsdebat 6-3-08; verbod growshops, paddo's, wietbeurs, BZP, etc...

[Alfa]

I just watched the whole debate in parliament. From 10.30 AM until 5 PM. Tomorrow it will likely be published on parliaments website www.tweedekamer.nl
It is very likely that the international press will broadcast this soon enough.

[Nature Boy]

What's the deal with smoking in coffeeshops now? It's banned unless the smoke doesn't come into contact with the staff? That's ridiculous. Perhaps they can counter this by introducing ventilated smoking areas.

A ban on information related to growing cannabis? That's draconian.

These are absolutely dreadful measures to introduce. How are people in Amsterdam reacting to this? Are they not worried that it may dent tourism or increase black market activity? I'm stunned.

[0utrider]

well but SWIM am right that SWIM still can get the equipment from inner-EU and the seeds from Spain, aint SWIM?! just to make sure that everythings stays similar, its not such a big difference if the stuff comes from a mile away or a few hundred miles more.

However, so what are professional gardners going to do and other non-cannabis hobbyplanters? kinda hard to imagine that, except for special equipment only used for cannabis (which isn much since almost everything can be used for many purposes) its all going to be "illegal"?!

[Thirdedge]

Originally Posted by outriderx

However, so what are professional gardeners going to do and other non-cannabis hobbyplanters? kinda hard to imagine that, except for special equipment only used for cannabis (which isn much since almost everything can be used for many purposes) its all going to be "illegal"?!

They will likely claim the only economical crops to be grown with hydro equipment are weed and orchids, this is the approach certain US courts have taken.

[Spamuel]

That's harsh legislation.
Its going to be interesting to see how this effects their tourist industry.
Epic fail I recon.

[pipolito]

thanks alfa for telling us before the entire world

[Sklander]

This is a very serious and damaging blow the reforming drug policy around the world.

The Netherlands has always been used a staple for comparison when any arguement in favor of ending prohibtion is made. SWIM wonders what the true motives to these acts are... Why would something that has been operating in relative peace (compared to filling the prisons in American and other countries) be retracted and moved to something that has been proven to not work?

SWIM has seen steps taken in the right direction as of late, but this depresses SWIM. This is really a sad decision.

Reputation Comments on this post:

Well said and very true.

[Lunar Loops]

A dark day indeed for all campaigning for drug policy reform. Sklander has it exactly right with what he has said. You can see it now, prohibitionist policy makers everywhere rubbing their hands with glee and stating how the liberal policy has been tried and rejected by the Netherlands.

Originally Posted by Sklander

This is a very serious and damaging blow the reforming drug policy around the world.

The Netherlands has always been used a staple for comparison when any arguement in favor of ending prohibtion is made. SWIM wonders what the true motives to these acts are... Why would something that has been operating in relative peace (compared to filling the prisons in American and other countries) be retracted and moved to something that has been proven to not work?

SWIM has seen steps taken in the right direction as of late, but this depresses SWIM. This is really a sad decision.

[Nose Dive]

Does this mean that they are phasing out cannabis altogether?

[Shampoo]

My condolences to the entire community. May the resistance of monoculture live strong in spite of such blows, and may the intelligent reform of drug-policy maintain its strong stance in the face of tragedy. My thoughts are with all those directly affected by this, and those who will undoubtedly feel the financial, social, and political repercussions of such unfortunate acts.

Originally Posted by Alfa

[*]Supplying products, substances, information, etc for the use of the production of cannabis will be come illegal.
[*]The promotion or description of coffeeshops and placing information about them by coffeeshops themselves on the internet, will be banned/prosecuted.

How do these measures directly effect DF and the information herein? Is it possible that measures such as these could spread to other countries? Does the Netherlands not have a free-speech/free-information clause that prevents blatant propogandai censorship?

Also, has there been any indication as to sentancing? will defendants be facing jail time? fines? tickets?

I can only hope that in time, such draconian, inconsiderate decisions will appear to all as ludicrous as they appear to those that suffer their weight.

"There are no rules anywhere. The goddess prevails."

[ILoveYou]

Woe is swim on this most dreadful day for the drug community.

[Bikelbees]

Im shocked, the Council of europe is moving towards a different policy seehttp://www.paulflynnmp.co.uk/consensusspreads.htm

If Parlaiment decides, is that the end of it, what about an Appeal to the ECHR?