Dutch Coffeeshops Refute Smoking Ban

Smoking Cannabis is Here to Stay

With an expected smoking ban to come into place in Amsterdam by the end of 2008 there is high controversy about pot smoking in Dutch coffee shops. The smoking of cannibis in coffee shops debate has reached parliament with the majority of parliamentarians against the ban and pushing for
 the exemption for the coffee shops from this smoking ban regulation.

Coffee shops first opened in the 1970's in Amsterdam and have been drawing tourists ever since. Whilst soft drugs are banned in the Netherlands there is a policy of "tolerence" which allows citizens or tourists to carry 5g of cannibis on their person. Government-regulated coffee shops sell cannibis and regularly have stocks of up to 500g in situ. Today, there are more that 700 coffee shops in the Netherlands some which resemble drive-in's, these would automatically not be effected by the new legislation.

Some citizens of the Netherlands are quoting that their "freedom is being breached" with the introduction of the smoking ban and feel that if people want to smoke, then they should be allowed to smoke. Their argument continues "If bar or coffee shop owners do not like people smoking cannabis on the premises
then they should ban it. However, an overall ban is a breach of the rights and freedoms of the people. Of course, there are people who want to ban everything however the bottom line is, just because their morals say it's wrong, doesn't mean your morals should intefere with the lives of others."

Related information
  • banning cannabis in dutch coffee shops
  • dutch parliament trying to exclude coffee shops from smoking bans
 
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Hey Greace, You are an asshole...Dear

Posted on 06/28/2008 at 11:06:18 AM

This Is a joke!!

Posted on 05/07/2008 at 9:05:23 AM

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Posted on 09/27/2007 at 6:09:00 AM

you go to acoffee shop to smoke yes.... so if u dnt smoke u wudnt really go there unless u wanted to??? well there is ur answer leave us be!!

Posted on 09/17/2007 at 7:09:00 PM

I hope the dutch government understand how much 1 billion euro's every year helps their country. I hope the lose of this will make them realise that yes a ban is good for people that dont smoke, but people who dont smoke shouldnt go into coffeeshops and they continue to allow smoking in coffeeshops

Posted on 08/21/2007 at 7:08:00 AM

i,ve seen other similar articles from 2003 saying that the ban would start in 2005 but it didn't. they just do this to up tourism

Posted on 06/11/2007 at 11:06:00 PM

non smokers go to coffee shops just like aguaphobics go to a swimming pool. This is just more off those sensless debates that go on in the US like I burnt my hand because I picked up coffee and it was hot.

Posted on 05/24/2007 at 2:05:00 PM

I hope they dont let this bill through parliament

Posted on 05/07/2007 at 5:05:00 AM

good article. I hope the coffee shop owners get their way and smoking stays legal. thanks for sharing!

Posted on 05/04/2007 at 8:05:00 PM

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Posted on 05/03/2007 at 3:05:00 AM

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