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CDA plans to crack down on cannabis cafesWednesday 03 February 2010 The ruling Christian Democratic party will on Thursday publish a document outlining plans to further crack down on soft drug use, the Telegraaf reports on Wednesday. 'The practice of turning a blind eye has failed, and we will do all we can to move towards zero coffee shops,' CDA MP Cisca Joldersma told the paper. Cafes which sell small amounts of cannabis are known as coffee shops. Joldersma told the Telegraaf that the punishment for producing hard and soft drugs should be made the same and plans to introduce legislation which will ban the growing of marijuana. At the moment, police turn a blind eye to private individuals with up to four plants. The CDA has support in its new strategy from the right-wing Liberals VVD, the paper says. The VVD wants the maximum sentence for smuggling soft drugs to be raised from four to 12 years. The CDA's coalition partner, PvdA, is opposed to tougher sentences. 'You know it is being sold. And if you can't make sure it can be delivered via normal routes, it is really naive to come up with this sort of idea,' Labour MP Lea Bouwmeester told the paper. The party thinks steps should be taken to make it easier for coffee shops to have legal deliveries of marijuana. The Netherlands' tolerant attitude to soft drugs has come under extra pressure at home in recent months. The production of marijuana is said to generate sales of some €2bn a year. MPs are due to discuss soft drugs policy with ministers on Thursday © DutchNews.nl
So according to their (CDA) "christian" theory is ok to allow man-made (and cancerous) genetically modified food in the supermarkets, but prohibit the sell of god-made cannabis. The Netherlands is going down the proven dangerous slope of prohibition, with the deadly results we see all around the rest of the world. CDA is pure evil and I hope the people who vote for them will understand it before it's too late. By alienboy | February 3, 2010 12:50 PM well most of us won't have a choice in the matter since we can't vote here (by us I mean non-dutch nationals living here). So we are at the mercy of our dutch brethren with the power to vote. But then I look at the political climate here, with this disgusting CDA party still the largest around, the inane populism of Geert Wilders looking stronger and stronger and the SP party in a bit of a mess - so I'm not at all hopeful Stevie. After the next general election it may just be time to find a new country to call home.... By john | February 3, 2010 12:50 PM Bollocks, now we are gonna need a muslim version of Wilders to kick the Christian fundamentalists asses. Its just one vicious circle. The next person who says liberal Holland to me is getting hit in the head for living in the past. What are the christians thinking? Did Jesus die on the cross so that Balkenende could tell me what i can or cant do? I was raised a christian but i aint holy in any way but i do remember something about god saying something like Whatever you hold true on earth, I shall hold true in heaven. And this applies to Christians. Cool then. So as long as enough Christians think its a good idea to kick Balkenendes party back to the dark ages where they seem to come from, then god will back us up. Also i guess if there is a "Stop Wilders Now" party then we should be able to start Stop Balkenende Now party or Stop CDA Now Party. I get a bit worked up about the way things go politically here in the Netherlands but i always forget that this is the country that gaveus the paedo party. Yeah liberal on all the wrong things! By langer | February 3, 2010 1:12 PM This is exactly what this country needs. Get rid of the only thing that maked it remotely interesting. By Jimmy | February 3, 2010 1:15 PM Stevie By Karl H | February 3, 2010 2:33 PM to hell with the CDA, religion and politics must never mix, religion is quite idiotic, politicians are always idiotic, combine the 2 and u get super idiotic, cmon people SECULAR POLITICS By adhd | February 3, 2010 3:55 PM Stevie is spot on by the way, u get rid of the coffeeshops and things will turn really really ugly for NL, hard drug use goes up, crime goes up, u lose a crazy amount of much needed tax, it turns ppl against the state and the police, Cannabis is an extremely valuable and natural plant, it can cure CANCER, why are we all trying to destroy the cure, WHY By adhd | February 3, 2010 3:57 PM This is a stupid move. If you drive the sales and use of marijuana underground you open the doors to stronger drug availability to younger users. In Holland the percentage of cannabis use is lower than in the rest of Europe and the US. The government will lose a tax base and never stop mild drug use or prostitution.. history's oldest profession and habits. By t.visser | February 3, 2010 4:11 PM The tolerance of the soft-drugs is the only resource that make the Netherlands a country rich open and civil. P.S. Don`t exist any scientific proof that cannabis cause this kind of problems in the students; The science and the culture are the only tools for fight the ignorance, the bigotism, and the maffia. By Peppe | February 3, 2010 4:16 PM What nonsense! Why exactly do they want to ban cannabis cafes? Maybe if we all took some, we could lighten up a bit and go after what is really dangerous in this world (and I don't think pot gets a look-in on this list) By denise | February 3, 2010 4:30 PM The criminal CDA want young Dutch boys dying in Afghanistan, not sitting in coffeeshops. By bigots | February 3, 2010 7:51 PM Karl H: Ann Widdicombe: She would feel at home with the CDA proposal on soft drugs. She also proudly proclaims she is still a virgin (Born in 1947!) Her speech can be found here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2000/oct/04/conservatives2000.conservatives1 Marijuana has nothing to do with Christianity or any other religion. It's a plant & has to do with Biology & SHOULD be used in industry! Like the old slogan says: After a stressful day at work behind you, nothing quite beats a couple of drinks, and / or a joint to cool off with. Better than Prozac that can cause, Headache, nausea, and insomnia! It would seem that the CDA has become too ambitious with it's reform policies. Anyone else share this view??? By stevie | February 3, 2010 9:01 PM Well said Peppe, you are the best. By Captain Zen | February 3, 2010 10:01 PM Just legalize it. By Spud | February 4, 2010 4:53 AM Religion and Politics can't cooperate together... My point of view and I live in the Netherlands! By Arielontrack | February 4, 2010 8:43 AM THC needs to come down a bit! The last visit in 2009, the thc level in some of the ganja is too high! Mellow is good! LIke alchol, who can enjoy the drink when the alcohol content is so high! just defeats the purpose of a good mellow high! Netherlands, should keep their coffeeshops like they are! Look at the USA. Thanks to people like Hearst and some others who had tons of forest(greed in their minds), they did a job of blasting the hemp plant and getting rid of it for their own greed. It is a shame, because the hemp plant could be a life saver for our earth!!!! I will get off my soapbox now.I have always thought the Dutch had very good common sense and wisdom by choosing coffeeshops. Thought they had a winner for the good of all. This has certainly kept the hard drugs out and a safer place for people to be. I loved to walk around the centrum at night and visit all the shops,not just coffeeshops, museums,eateries,etc! I will keep faith that the Dutch powers will indeed stand by the coffeeshops! By tana bouquet | February 4, 2010 3:23 PM I don't know much about hard/soft drugs, other than what I have read about it. So, I don't have much of an opinion, except to say that my personal preference is a clear head. My suspicion is that the people who peddle this stuff have been taking gross advantage of a previously balanced approach. I think there was a limit placed on the amount of business the coffeeshops were allowed to do, and some have far exceeded these limits. By KenM | February 9, 2010 3:17 AM If everyone goes against the ban and votes the CDA will not be able to BAN coffee shops LETS NOT LET THEM DO THIS!!! By Mike | March 18, 2010 1:51 AM
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'The practice of turning a blind eye has failed' This is merely CDA propaganda, They are lying, and playing us for fools.
They have been looking for a reason to prohibit soft drugs since they came to power.
I know that the EU (Big Brother) is also doing some of it's own bullying on this issue.
This move to outlaw coffee shops will boost criminality. The guv knows this already from the early 80's.
Prices will soar, house dealers will flourish, the police force will be increased & more kids will turn to using hard drugs: yes even more young junkies!
This move to zero tolerance will please the likes of Ann Widdecombe.
Categorizing soft & hard drug offenses as the same is preposterous!
How dare they ban this useful plant!
Such an inane move will only boost criminality by driving it underground.
Now I understand the guv's plan to GPS us all. Now it's all starting to make sense!
Sadly and as usual, we will have no choice in the matter, or will we???
By stevie | February 3, 2010 12:16 PM