Prime minister prepared to discuss cannabis card problems
Friday 07 September 2012
Prime minister Mark Rutte is prepared to discuss problems with the cannabis club registration system with local councils later in the year, he told current affairs show Nieuwsuur on Thursday evening.
Earlier this week, Maastricht mayor Onno Hoes said he wanted to end the compulsory registration of cannabis users. Instead, people should be able to buy marijuana in licenced cafes after showing ID and a certificate saying they live in the locality, he said.
Rutte told Nieuwsuur it is sensible to keep on eye on the practicalities of new legislation and learn the lessons so far. However, there is no guarantee changes will be made, he said.
Since May, all cannabis cafes in the south of the country have been turned into private members clubs in an effort to stop drugs tourism. The controversial scheme is due to go nationwide in January.
Earlier stories
Maastricht mayor does u-turn over cannabis club membership
600 jobs go as cannabis cafe reforms begin to bite
Mixed views about success of new cannabis cafe rules
© DutchNews.nl
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It's amazing how when a Little cash is getting lost the Prime Minister's morals suddenly change.If he had bothered to listen to experts In the first place he wouldn't look such a grovelling greedy fool.
By jason buttle | 7 September 2012 9:39 AMRather arrogant to say 'later in the year' considering there's an election next week.
By Puck | 7 September 2012 11:48 AMThe problem of cannabis is a government one only, not the people's. To date there has been no valid argument or reason/s given by the guv (Or any other guv) as to it remaining illegal.
(But we do know why, as internet has not been censored, (Yet?)
The Reefer Madness movie is hilarious & reflects the lies & deceit that still exist today.
Why anyone would go so far as to need to know every person that uses cannabis is an infringement on personal privacy & disgusting.
Naturally grown weed is superior to high powered sodium lamp weed. Coffee shops are around to exploit a useful plant that everyone should have access to.
Read the history!
By The visitor | 7 September 2012 9:29 PMThe Wietpas is undermining coffeeshops. How can the policy aim: to protect experimenting youngsters using weed from drugs like heroin still work? Does nobody remember the Dutch heroin epidemic of the 60's and 70's that made coffeeshops so necessary?
By Max Harmreduction | 7 September 2012 10:04 PMThe Weedpass is dead. The mayor of the City that started the Weedpass, Maastricht, said it causes streetdealing, drugsrunners, scared citizens, empty coffeeshops, unemployment and keeps citizens in their homes, the streets are a battlefield!
By nol van schaik | 9 September 2012 10:25 AMNo other Mayor can implement it now....
Is he just trying to gain votes?
By Marco | 9 September 2012 11:24 PMMaybe they could require only showing up Dutch ID (or passports with Dutch visas or registration) to enter the cofeeshops.
That would avoid the paranoia about registering with government but would allow to curb foreign drug tourism.
By Andre L. | 10 September 2012 5:23 AMI'm sorry to say though that even if I won't be visiting the Netherlands ever again, there will still be many Belgian, French and German tourists who will still seek the street dealers because The Netherlands will still have that label of official cannabis dealer in the EU....The sensible thing to do would be to exploit this unfortunate title, if not criminality will and the taxpayers will have to pay for the prison population.....
By Marco | 10 September 2012 1:52 PM@Andre L.: no, Andre, it's not about proving you are a local citizen, more like collecting files on users that can be later recalled and used in a negative way regarding employment & benefits, what else??
By The visitor | 11 September 2012 3:38 AM