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]
