Coffee shop owners will go on strike in Holland
Cannabis coffee shop owners in Holland will call a strike on the 9th June to bring attention to the important role they play in Dutch society. The strike has been organized by coffee shop owner Nol van Shaik, the founder of Willie Wortel cannabis shops in Haarlem. Mr van Shaik says that he is calling the strike to raise awareness amongst cannabis coffee shop owners and their clientele that there is a possibility of a right-wing government being voted in that won’t be so friendly towards the trade.
If the centre-right Christian Democrat party (CDA) or Geert Wilders freedom party dominate the Dutch coalition government after the June 9 elections Holland’s famously liberal cannabis laws could change.
On his website Mr van Shaik has written a manifesto of arguments in favour of licensed cannabis coffee shops, in which he points out that they contribute 400 million Euros in taxes a year and that shutting them down will only force clients on to the unregulated illegal market. Mr van Shaik also points out that the regulations inside coffee shops are strict and enforced. No alcohol or hard drugs may be consumed on the premises and strict age restrictions apply.
Despite the fact that Holland has some of the most lenient cannabis laws in the world, statistically the Dutch smoke less marijuana than other European countries. Figures from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction show that about 5.4% of the Dutch adult population smoke cannabis compared to 14.6% in Italy. Spain, the Czech Republic and France also have higher cannabis amongst the adult population. Nol van Shaik stresses that Holland’s cannabis coffee shop experiment has been a positive model for other countries in Europe and the Americas.
According to van Shaik’s website 750 cannabis coffee shops have closed since 1996, due to increasing pressure due to a conservative government. But things could also change in favour of the legal cannabis industry. Job Cohen who was the former mayor of Amsterdam, has been named as the new candidate for the Dutch Labour Party (PvDA) after the leader Wouter Bos resigned last month. Mr Cohen has long been a supporter of relaxed laws on soft drugs and as pioneered other policies aimed at cleaning up the prostitution industry. Cohen has spoken in favour of cannabis café’s stating that 25% of tourists who visit Amsterdam do so to visit the cafes, but they cause much less problems than those tourists who consume alcohol. He is also in favour of the legalisation of cannabis production as a measure to reduce the involvement of organised crime.
Both the coffee shop owners and the coffee shop critics agree that the existence of organised crime within the industry is a real negative side. However the coffee shop owners propose better legislation on all aspects of the cannabis industry instead of outright prohibition. At the moment the laws surrounding the cannabis coffee shop industry are very ambiguous. Under the gedoogbeleid (tolerance policy) the possession of more than five cannabis plants is illegal as well as the possession of more than five grams.
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Comments
Coffee shop owners will go on
Mr Van Schaik thinks that the pro-cannabis vote by Dutch coffee shop customers can make a difference on 9 June. “There are a million people who regularly smoke cannabis and who are eligible to vote. That’s 18 seats in parliament. If Labour wins four or five seats more, just because of our votes, they’ll be bigger than other parties and they’re very much pro-coffeeshop”.
Coffee shop owners will go on
Coffee shop owners will be very happy and more teenagers will be addicted to drugs.
Coffee shop owners will go on
I think these shop owners are doing good job for their rights but it may affect a lot of peoples. So, they shouldnt go on strikes.
Coffee shop owners will go on
Your work is good. This blog is given informative information. Thank you for this useful information. I will share it with my friends. I have done bookmarked it.
Coffee shop owners will go on
I understand the coffee shops point of view, keeping marijuana legal would keep their business running and illegal traffickers out of the market. Another positive effect is the relatively lower number of marijuana consumers plus it would be easier for them to seek medical help if needed, i know many addicts are reluctant to seek help when it comes to illegal drugs, they are too afraid to admit they abuse such substances which leads to more drug related deaths.
Coffee shop owners will go on
The coalition cabinet last, including Labour and the Christian Democrats, introduced stricter controls at the coffee shops. It was the ban on 250 meters of schools and restricting the sale of mensagens and other soft drugs to local residents.
Coffee Shop Owners Go Go Go
This is bad stuff! In my own country, Seychelles with its world acclaimed beaches, people go to jail in excess of 10 years for use of these illegal substances, while the government fills their coffers taxing alcohol and tobacco. Is this right?
But interesting as it is, Holland has set an example that other countries should learn from. Maybe they need to have better control and improved laws for the cafes but the Dutch experiment has certainly been a step in the right direction. Other countries including those in Africa should be inspired by them. Please do not turn back the clock... La Digue Praslin Seychelles
Coffee shop owners will go on
I think people in Netherlands will vote to ensure that coffee shops will not be banned in the Netherlands. I think I could write an essay about this issue. My essay writing will focused on the advantages and disadvantages.
Coffee shop owners will go on
The way I see thing I think the coffee shop customers would gladly join the shop owners on this one, cannabis is a very popular drug in Holland and there is no way people are quitting it that easy. They go on strike and they definitely don't have a faith based drug rehab on their priority list.
You are just plain wrong
Cannabis is not as popular in Holland as it is in other European countries. Possibly because it has more liberal laws.
Cannabis doesn't create physical dependency nor is that addictive.....
Coffee Mayhem
If this is the situation then, I'll never work on an essay inside a coffee shop anymore. Establishments are asking for too much and this "strike" will never help them regain the benefits that they are getting from their customers. Such bad luck.
RE
the regulations inside coffee shops are strict and enforced. No alcohol or hard drugs may be consumed on the premises and strict age restrictions apply.
Coffee Mayhem
I agree that there should be clearer laws about it. Last year, when finished my projects (otimização de sites, acompanhantes, desentupidora, lampadas, relogio de ponto), also witnessed something and not even part of my culture (source), I thought ouvesse clear legislation about it. But the locals told me it was just allowed. I do not know how far the indiscriminate use of this substance is legalized.
Coffee shop owners will go on
What many people don't realize is marijuana is much less harmful than alcohol or tobacco. Yet it's the one of the three that gets a bad rap and is illegal. Marijuana isn't even physicaly addicting. You certanly don't see meetings for marijuana like you do with alcohol. Unfortunatly due to American culture the less harmful of the three is illegal.
Finance?
I would bet that their party is receiving contributions from Big Pharma!