So the Weed pass thing? and your thoughts?

[Slip & Sal]

I am sorry for being rude slip and Sal but i cant help it, you are clearly very thick if you think http://www.greyarea.nl/home.html is not run by grey area or their employers.

I don't ever apologize for being rude, as I'm Australian and apparently racism and rude anyway so I just live it when I'm annoyed. Joosy you have annoyed me now. I don't really take politely to attacks on my intelligence and will hence say " fuck you" You can not apologize for being rude then be rude. Do not insult me, because I think you are wrong.

[Slip & Sal]

http://www.420cafe.com/

Gives you background on why coffeeshops have had to adapt their websites so they are legal...

I know this just don't think that, the site is run by grey area. My opinion. i know yours ok. Can we discuss the pass again now. If you don't want to discuss it, maybe you should leave the thread, as you have expressed your thoughts clear as day already.

I'm also worried for my right to be able to explore the whole of the Dutch colony, immersing my self in a Dutch experience which I would enjoy. I also don't care whether people think its lame that I would enjoy my holiday less without weed. I enjoy my life less without weed as i like to smoke. I really enjoyed the freedom I found in Amsterdam and surrounding towns. I had a dream come real for a month and it was wonderful. I respected the Netherlands for their tolerance of me. They showed an acceptance, I fear this acceptance is being thrown away.

I had plan to come back many times to holland to explore and visit my friends? How can I enjoy my time with my friends if i'm not allowed to socalize where they do?

[joossy]

It amazes me that you along with boner think grey areas website is nothing to do with them, not paid for by them & doesn't reflect their thoughts. Its naive beyond belief and shows you lack common sense.

[geoffk]

It amazes me that you along with boner think grey areas website is nothing to do with them, not paid for by them & doesn't reflect their thoughts. Its naive beyond belief and shows you lack common sense.

I think it's naive of you to base your opinion of the wietpas on a post from a website that is providing information based on the BCD press release from July 15, 2011, yes I realize that their website opinion is from November, 2011.

"In Amsterdam, the deadline until late next year. Not this, but next New Year's Eve is the last day so that tourists - legally - in the Netherlands can be high." (Google translated) http://www.rnw.nl/nederlands/article/ko ... or-wietpas

Regarding your Grey Area website fetish: "Jon does view the FB page and website on a weekly base though, so all your comments etc. are read by them and very much appreciated!" Per their Faceplant page.

[joossy]

It amazes me that you along with boner think grey areas website is nothing to do with them, not paid for by them & doesn't reflect their thoughts. Its naive beyond belief and shows you lack common sense.

I think it's naive of you to base your opinion of the wietpas on a post from a website that is providing information based on the BCD press release from July 15, 2011, yes I realize that their website opinion is from November, 2011.

"In Amsterdam, the deadline until late next year. Not this, but next New Year's Eve is the last day so that tourists - legally - in the Netherlands can be high." (Google translated) http://www.rnw.nl/nederlands/article/ko ... or-wietpas

Regarding your Grey Area website fetish: "Jon does view the FB page and website on a weekly base though, so all your comments etc. are read by them and very much appreciated!" Per their Faceplant page.

Thanks geoff, my opinion is not just formed from one post on a website.
I have no fetish with the grey area website, its a great website. Boner is the one that started to debate it & i have responded.

[geoffk]

Thanks geoff, my opinion is not just formed from one post on a website.

Ok, we're getting somewhere. What do you base your opinion on?

[Cisco]

Again why can't there be a debate without people resorting to insults etc ? Everyone has the equal right to post here ?

IMO I don't think it will happen in Amsterdam , but unfortunately it does look like its happening . Although again IMO it's getting rushed through so will it be workable and enforced ? As Nol has said the Dutch passport will be your ID , so what about official residents of the Netherlands that don't hold one ?

Sad times

[joossy]

Thanks geoff, my opinion is not just formed from one post on a website.

Ok, we're getting somewhere. What do you base your opinion on?

Law Professor Jan Brouwer, who is also director of the Centre for Public Order and Security, says municipalities are free to ignore the weed pass.

“The basis of a ban on the sale of soft drugs to foreigners must be set out in local by-laws,” he says. “If the City Council does not want to do so, the Federal Government can jump high and low, but it won’t happen.”

"Amsterdam mayor Eberhard van der Laan said the pass system for coffee shops in Amsterdam to find unworkable. He said that this illegal trade in marijuana grow in the streets, more than nuisance entails trade and use of verifiable coffeeshops. Dutch Bureau of Tourism & Conventions expected negative impact on tourism"


1. The proposed new rule is a national rule, that will have to be implemented locally. If the local council is against this (which 14 out of 22 are), it will only affect limited municipalities, mostly border towns/areas if at all. There are said to be traffic jams and lines down the block on weekends in these towns around shops. Amsterdam has no such problem.

2. Think of the US. There is a federal law against cannabis, yet California and 15 other states have acted LOCALLY to provide it's use medicinally. This is the best analogy.

3. Both Mayor Eberhard van der Laan and the Amsterdam city council are on record as against the 'wietpas'. They fear that tourists will then be constantly offered cannabis on the street.

4. We were told six months ago by the Melkweg venue director of 35 years that the Mayor has stated this will not happen in Amsterdam.

5. Why? It is estimated that the tourism generates 10 billion in income. Any one coming to Amsterdam solely for coffeeshops, also spends money on hotels, restaurants, beverages, museums, CONCERTS etc. etc. Not so in border towns.


Maastricht a local quiet town every weekend is bombarded with germans/french/belgiums buying cannabis and taking it back to their respective countries (smuggling) of course some sort of weedpass is needed to stop this happening, and throughout the rest of the south of Holland. Amsterdam is not a quiet local town, it is a vibrant city , it is set up for tourists, Amsterdam has no problem what so ever with weed been sold in its municipality it adds 26% to the economy and doesn't have a smuggling problem. The local councils and mayors have the final say and the current ones for Amsterdam are saying no the weedpass, they are in office until 2015.

Every coffeeshop websit is clearly telling people not to worry about the weedpass in amsterdam . So why worry?

http://www.rookies.nl/
http://www.thebulldog.com/amsterdam-pro ... em-wietpas
[url]ttp://www.greyarea.nl/weed-pass.html[/url]

[geoffk]

There are some good points here, with the exception of no. 2

2. Think of the US. There is a federal law against cannabis, yet California and 15 other states have acted LOCALLY to provide it's use medicinally. This is the best analogy.

I don't think this is a good analogy because:

a) The US feds do persecute dispensaries right now. They are being raided and shut down by the feds. I've seen at least 5 dispensaries shut down in the last year in my area of Colorado. Most shut down on their own as the local laws became too constricting. The raids seem to happen in Denver and SoCal.
b) Tourists cannot come to medical marijuana states and purchase pot from dispensaries. So yeah, not like the Nederlands at all.

I would like to remain optimistic...

[joossy]

There are some good points here, with the exception of no. 2

2. Think of the US. There is a federal law against cannabis, yet California and 15 other states have acted LOCALLY to provide it's use medicinally. This is the best analogy.

I don't think this is a good analogy because:

a) The US feds do persecute dispensaries right now. They are being raided and shut down by the feds. I've seen at least 5 dispensaries shut down in the last year in my area of Colorado. Most shut down on their own as the local laws became too constricting. The raids seem to happen in Denver and SoCal.
b) Tourists cannot come to medical marijuana states and purchase pot from dispensaries. So yeah, not like the Nederlands at all.

I would like to remain optimistic...

good point geoff, i think maybe Amsterdam as a city is incomparable to any city or state in US. in terms of weed, Amsterdam has been established over 30 years, In amsterdam for a generation it has been excepted so now it is a way of life, there is no need or pressure to change it from the people of Amsterdam. The analogy is that although their is national law, locally (amsterdam) it can be overridden. Amsterdam has huge reasons to override it, i guess colorado doesn't. In the US the weed issue is all medicinal that has never been the agenda in Amsterdam.

[puffthemagicdragon]

I think it's very sad and disappointing that those of us who wish to discuss Wietpass are being prevented from doing so by somebody who has their own agenda, and is being increasingly rude and offensive to everyone who doesn't agree with them.

Very poor show in my view.

[Twichaldinho]

I think it's very sad and disappointing that those of us who wish to discuss Wietpass are being prevented from doing so by somebody who has their own agenda, and is being increasingly rude and offensive to everyone who doesn't agree with them.
Very poor show in my view.

Why dont you all just put joooooosy on yer foe list, then this thread will look exactly as you want it too.

[joossy]

I think it's very sad and disappointing that those of us who wish to discuss Wietpass are being prevented from doing so by somebody who has their own agenda, and is being increasingly rude and offensive to everyone who doesn't agree with them.

Very poor show in my view.

No need to keep throwing your toys out the pram puff, I may have given as good as i've got but nothing more. Your reactions are completely ott. If people on here with +1000 posts try to make a mug of me & they are actually talking rubbish then i will try and explain to them why they are wrong.

[verticalSquare]

Thanks geoff, my opinion is not just formed from one post on a website.

Ok, we're getting somewhere. What do you base your opinion on?

Law Professor Jan Brouwer

...
...

Every coffeeshop websit is clearly telling people not to worry about the weedpass in amsterdam . So why worry?

http://www.rookies.nl/
http://www.thebulldog.com/amsterdam-pro ... em-wietpas
[url]ttp://www.greyarea.nl/weed-pass.html[/url]

Joosy: this post is well argued, well-written and actually interesting. If you had made posts like this from the start, people wouldn't have gotten so infuriated with you, me included. There's nothing wrong with arguing that the weedpass won't happen, as you did in this post, but you have to admit that the way you've gone about it prior to this has irritated the hell out of lots of people Maybe just read through your posts with a clear head and you'll realise that people aren't pissed off by what you're saying - its the way you're saying it...

Anyway, good post (I disagree at the validity of the links at the end but have stated this many times before anyway).

[verticalSquare]

For me, legalisation should come down to one simple philosophy:

1) As a human being, one should have the ability to do what one wishes as long as one's actions do not harm another human being. One should have CHOICE.

2) If the drug isn't regulated by the government, it will be sold by criminals, leading to loss of revenue for the governement and an increase in crime.

These two points should be enough to justify the legalisation of marijuana anywhere, but sadly, in most countries in the world, they aren't. Which sucks. The Weed Pass will happen because conservatism will have won yet again.

I didn't want to quote the whole thing but this post is terrific! Sorry I can't multi quote either, I will practice.

Thanks for the kind words - got pretty into it after 3 glasses of wine