Amsterdam Coffeeshop Directory Forums

Marco wrote: Does this mean you will never visit the Netherlands again. Well, that is good news.

Slip & Sal wrote:Where is joosy now? Where are all you fuckers slagging me off for wanting to talk about it now?

Slip & Sal wrote:I must remember to use magenta for sarcasm. I'm not harbouring bad feelings. Slagging off really isn't a major insult in Australia, it's more like ranting or going on. I apologise if I came across upset, I hardly am that. Anyway will tourists still be able to buy seeds and truffles(mushrooms)?

piedpiperofvice wrote:

Slip & Sal wrote:I must remember to use magenta for sarcasm. I'm not harbouring bad feelings. Slagging off really isn't a major insult in Australia, it's more like ranting or going on. I apologise if I came across upset, I hardly am that. Anyway will tourists still be able to buy seeds and truffles(mushrooms)?

Ok ,sorry if I got the wrong impression. You seem to love the dam as much as any of us ,s and s. You, also, seem very passionate about this issue,as one would expect. What do you think about the ideas I listed throughout this thread..other than Marco and maybe one or 2 others nobody really responded. It seems like maybe the weed community might be too passive. Passive in reference to being non-violent is greater but we need to be more aggressive when it comes to demanding our rights. I am afraid most on this web site are more than willing to have the rules dictated to them. Especially one whose name has a familial slant...we will always be the repressed minority if we never make a stand about anything. Look at the Jewish lobby in us .small minority that organizes to maximize their clout..weed lovers can do it. I think it would be a good idea to begin creating the image of a group akin to the that dude who noone fucks with because he might just gouge out your eyeball. It is kind of shameful the way we are bulldozed worldwide for having the nerve to get intoxicated using a method other than the state approved alcohol route

Marco wrote: The problem is that I think the government is well aware how much this will cost them, and they just don't care.

Dear Sir

I write with regard to the proposed Wietpas, shortly to be introduced in the Netherlands, and how damaging I anticipate this to be for your country’s tourism, not to mention being discriminating against foreigners wishing to enjoy the Netherlands and who provide a high level of revenue for your country.

I fail to understand why the Justice Minister perceives cannabis and its users to be such a crime problem in the Netherlands. From first hand experience it is completely the opposite.

I’ve yet to see any problem of violence, abuse or such inside or outside ANY coffee shop. In fact my visits have been nothing but enjoyable with a group of like minded people sharing conversation, thoughts and general good wishes.

Contrast this to a visit to the red light district in Amsterdam where you often encounter foul mouthed, vulgar and sometimes violent drunks in that area. It’s very noticeable that this area of Amsterdam is where you’ll find most police on patrol – clearly a necessity to keep the drunken behaviour in check. In dozens of visits I can’t recall ever seeing police near coffee shops in other areas of the city.

For Minister Opstelten to state publicly that there are hard drug dealers outside coffee shops is, apart from being libellous, quite frankly utterly ludicrous and shows a desperate attempt of clutching at straws to get what he wants. How can anybody respect somebody who is so blatantly lying.

I’ve never seen anybody, apart from smokers, hanging around outside coffee shops. However, I’ve been offered cocaine leaving a bar in the Amsterdam red light district, and that’s happened on more than one occasion. Hmm, doesn’t that tell you that alcohol and its environs cause far more problems than the coffee shops?

With countries such as Denmark, Sweden, Slovakia, Portugal and Spain all relaxing their views on cannabis use it’s a great disappointment to see a beautiful country like the Netherlands taking a step back into the dark ages. It’s especially hard to understand when cannabis usage in your country is considerably less than much of the rest of the world – 51st in the world table is far better than countries such as my own (the UK).

Another problem with the Wietpas is that you’re discriminating against the very people the tourist office wants in the country – tourists. And I predict it will only be a matter of time before somebody takes the matter to the courts as discrimination.

I urge you to consult further on this proposition to see just how negative a move it will be, and how detrimental it will be to tourism in the Netherlands. Already the excellent reputation the country has built up of being a friendly and liberal country has been damaged by the xenophobic behaviour of Minister Opstelten.

I’m so happy that your economy is sufficiently strong that it can readily lose billions of euros in revenue each year, not just from the coffee shops but also from hotels and the many thousands of souvenir shops which will undoubtedly have to close as a result of the Wietpas.

Once the country returns to the dark days of street dealing, crime will undoubtedly increase substantially and the Netherlands will no longer be a safe and friendly, liberal place to visit particularly with potentially many homeless people put out of work by closure, not just of the coffee shops, but numerous souvenir shops, restaurants, hostels, bars, etc.

The sense of relaxation and freedom (not just from the cannabis laws but in general) will no longer apply as there will be drug dealers on street corners, homeless unemployed huddled in doorways and a general sense of oppression. That does NOT make for a relaxing holiday.

Suffice to say if the Wietpas comes into effect there will be little or no reason to come back to your country. I’ve already visited the museums and done numerous canal trips – why would I come back to a country which has made it very clear that it doesn’t want me there.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts. Thank you.

salty seadog wrote:Does anyone know how the situation will pan out in May? I will be in Zeeland in the first week of May and would like to know if anyone has any info dirrect from the coffeeshops there or in Noord Brabant, will the wietpass be enforced or not?