Netherlands Faces Dangerous Criminal Shortage
May 28th, 2009 by Russ
Today’s object lesson on the consequences of having a rational national drug policy comes to you from the Netherlands.
The Dutch, well known for their allowance of casual drug use and incredibly low resulting addiction rate, have found that they no longer have enough criminals to keep their prisons at capacity.
The Dutch have announced a closing of eight prisons as well as a new initiative to import Belgian criminals to fill cell vacancies.
One wonders what domestic drug warriors will have to say about the Netherlands plummeting crime rate. This situation does seem to utterly eviscerate any arguments that drug use increases violence or criminal activity.
On the other hand, this news will almost certainly scare the bejesus out of the U.S. Prison Guard Labor Force, who will undoubtedly double their efforts to stifle any drug policy reform. After all, when your job is on the line, it’s hardly the time to think about gedoogbeleid.
Dutch Police Unveil CannaChopper
May 4th, 2009 by Rick
The Dutch police have a new tool to locate grow-ops and pot fields. Like k-9, but able to fly and having a super sniffer, the CannaChopper, is an unmanned miniature helicopter that has built in instruments that detect marijuana odor and uses IR (infrared) and video surveillance.
When the CannaChopper flies over a house, if there is a grow-op present it will detect the immense heat signature attributed with grow lights, as well as detect the slightest aroma from the marijuana plant. After the detection of illegal activity, the police are then called in for backup at the location.
On it’s first aerial venture it located a marijuana farm and seven growers were arrested. Only 10% of the marijuana fields are grown legally, the rest of the pot is smuggled into the black market.
411 on Dutch Drug Tourism
February 9th, 2009 by PerryFresh from DrugWarRant.com, is an interesting look at the drug tourism industry in the Netherlands.
In response to several media reports last year which talked about the potential closure of Amsterdam’s pot shops, the Hungarian Civil Liberties Union interviewed several Dutch mayors to take an earnest look at the situation.
There’s a lot of easy conclusions to draw, but it’s difficult after watching the 10-minute drug tourism documentary, to not see the drug war as a self-perpetuating cycle — linking marijuana to illegal activity because it is a contraband largely sold and distributed by organized crime.
An effort to eliminate the criminal element led to several mayors calling for the government to create a controlled system of distribution — however, it also led two mayors, (one interviewed in the video,) to close down coffee shops which sold marijuana altogether.
NORML Nominating Netherlands for Nobel Peace Prize
January 14th, 2009 by Perry
In recognition of the country’s success at reducing drug use among its citizens while keeping incarceration rates low, NORML and its executive director, Allen St. Pierre are coordinating efforts to nominate Netherlands for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Praising the country for being “smart” on drugs as opposed to being “tough,” St. Pierre said the country should be praised and we owe it a debt of gratitude. As it turns out, it doesn’t take too much to nominate somebody for an award, you just have to send in an envelope to an address, providing you match one of the following categories:
Members of national assemblies, governments and international courts of law; university chancellors, professors of social science, history, philosophy, law and theology; leaders of peace research institutes and institutes of foreign affairs; Nobel Peace Prize Laureates of previous years; board members of organizations that have received the Nobel Peace Prize; present and past members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee; and former advisors of the Nobel Institute.
Not quite as exclusive as I imagined. I always thought to get nominated you had to complete some type of Lord of the Rings quest or single-handedly defeat a ruthless dictator. Another question, if the Netherlands wins, how will they distribute the prize money?
Food for thought.
Netherlands Passes Ban on Mushrooms
November 13th, 2008 by Perry
Mostly an import from Hawaii, Ecuador and Mexico, the hallucinogenic, “magic mushrooms” are now banned in the Netherlands. Mushrooms have been freely available for years in the country.
The ban was passed due to outrage over a French girl, 17, who jumped from a bridge to her death while under the influence of mushrooms. The move seems to come as a wave of reform is being pushed by the local leaders who hope to clean up the image of the nation.
Amsterdam city council supports the government’s ban, hoping it will change the general perception of the city as a mecca for drug users and the sex industry.
Shop owners have claimed the ban will result in hundreds of jobs being lost and are planning protest marches.
A Dutch magic mushroom customer said:
Sunday lunch just won’t be the same. I always used the mushrooms in my stew for friends. They produce a nice relaxing glow, much better than alcohol.
Most definitely.
World Record Joint Called Off
November 23rd, 2006 by Tim
Sad news. It looks like the previous record-setter of 3.5 ounces (100 grams) will stand as the current joint champ.
Unfortunately, the recently reported World’s Biggest Joint attempt has been canceled when event organizers realized that laws would be broken if they continued. Upon further investigation of Dutch drug laws, the group noticed a loop hole they believed to exist is neither a loop nor a hole and, in fact, is very illegal.
The whole idea was to have 100 people bring five grams each, a legal amount by Dutch authority standards, and then combine all the marijuana the day of the event. The police had this to say:
We would definitely have investigated this. If you make a single joint with half a kilo of cannabis in it, it would cross the line.
So, looks like it’s a no-go at this point and I can’t say I’m surprised…
[via CNN]
Dutch to Roll World’s Biggest Joint
November 22nd, 2006 by Tim
“I’m sick of these small ass pinners!”
Sure, I’d say this is relevant, and it’s fresh off the wire. Look at the steam!
Yahoo reports that a Dutch group is in pursuit of rolling the world’s biggest (100% marijuana) joint evarrr!! Their attempt is for a 17.6 ounce (500 grams), 3.3 foot (1 meter) long badass stick of glory. If successful, it will easily decimate the previous record set at a measly 3.5 ounces (100 grams).
In hopes of anchoring this triumph into the Guinness Book of World Records, event organizer Thijs Verheij, said:
Afterwards we’ll light it up.
Fuck yeah you will. You better not let 500 grams of the finest go to waste. However, I can’t help but think what the end of that joint will look like after passing it around to a couple hundred people: the unrelenting wetness, the gooey tar build-up, the aggregation of germs.
Whatever, I think it’s great and I bless thee. Good luck Dutch group, make us proud.
[via Yahoo]
Amsterdam Coffee Shops in Danger
November 9th, 2006 by Alex
The most common mental image created when the word Amsterdam is mentioned relates to Red Light District mayhem and puffing on the most kind of all buds. While you can still do both of the above, it’s not quite as free spiritied and happy-go-lucky as one is lead to believe.
In the Netherlands, Christian conservatives have taken a government majority. Once in power, they decided the looseness that the Dutch were known for was going to be eradicated. Beginning in 2004, signs began to show that things were changing. The government did this by making new coffee shop licenses almost impossible to procure and when a shop closed, they wouldn’t renew any licenses involved with the establishment.
Coffee shop numbers in the Netherlands have gone from 1,500 nationwide to around 737 currently. At the rate coffee shops are disappearing (over 380 a year), it’ll take under 3 years to completely wipe these businesses off Dutch land. Ferry Hansen, owner of Get A Life coffee shop, had this to say:
You have to think three times about everything you do. It’s getting worse every year. The government is trying to control more and more. If you follow the law, they can’t say anything, but in the long run, they’ll probably get what they want.
Just when you think things are improving at home, there’s a set-back abroad. Hopefully, the Netherlands will get the exact same liberal swing that happened to America during it’s mid-term elections.
[via AlterNet]
