John Sinclair: Smoking out tourists?

[marmar]

from the Detroit Metro Times:




Smoking out tourists?
Closing off access to coffee shops in the name of 'combating drug tourism'

By John Sinclair
Published: July 6, 2011


The Dutch government's current attempt to restructure Holland's permissive cannabis culture and cripple the thriving cannabis industry continues to baffle local and international observers. The idea — which the courts and other outposts of the establishment are grappling with — is to limit licit marijuana smoking to Dutch citizens and official residents of the Netherlands.

A recent court ruling may have slowed down the process when the Council of State determined that cities can't regulate marijuana sales, as reported in The International Herald Tribune, because "national law already theoretically bans selling marijuana," implying that "the government must change the law in order to bar foreigners, rather than simply amending policy."

However, according to local news source DutchNews.nl, quoting an official court statement, "the judgment does not mean the mayor has no further statutory scope for taking measures against coffee shops that he believes cause nuisance problems. ... Under the Opium Act itself, the mayor may impose an enforcement order against coffee shops selling narcotics."

In response to the court action, the Netherlands justice ministry "has concluded that the ruling clears the way for the government to turn coffee shops into members-only clubs open only to people who officially live in the Netherlands," DutchNews.nl reported. "It is clear that European law allows foreigners to be excluded from coffee shops, but this will have to be implemented via a different legal mechanism" which "will be solved quickly," a justice ministry spokesman told news agency ANP. ........(more)

The complete piece is at: http://metrotimes.com/mmj/smoking-out-tourists-1.1171459

[On the Road]

1. Well, This is Interesting

I am actually flying there next week on the way to northwestern Germany. (Airfare to Amsterdam is a lot cheaper.)

Discussion boards on the coffee shops are in turmoil over the proposal. One poster claimed it was being postponed until 2015. Another said "Why would anyone visit Amsterdam now?" :)

In any case, might be my only opportunity to check it out while it's still legal.

[obxhead]

2. I wonder how much the Mayor will make under the table

when the new black market selling to tourists opens for business.