Dutch Smoking Ban: NO to Tobacco, YES to Cannabis.

[StraightSix]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7482571.stm
Tuesday, 1 July 2008 02:09 UK

[SIZE=4]Dutch smoking ban goes into force[/SIZE]

A tobacco smoking ban has come into effect in cafes, bars and restaurants in the Netherlands.

The country is following a growing trend across Europe and the world of bans on smoking in public places.

Pro-smoking lobbyists say the ban will lead to a drop in business, but others say any losses will be made up by non-smokers going out more.

Patrons of cannabis cafes will still be allowed to smoke marijuana as long as it is not mixed with tobacco.

Possession of cannabis is illegal in the Netherlands, but holders of small amounts are not prosecuted. Smoking cannabis is permitted in licensed cafes.

A Rotterdam cinema handed out free cigarettes on Monday night, hours before the ban came into force on Tuesday.

One hospitality industry forecast said there has been an increase in the number of businesses up for sale ahead of the ban, as owners anticipated slower business because of smokers staying away from restaurants, cafes and bars.

But other studies suggested that their numbers would be replaced by non-smokers going out more to enjoy a night out in a cleaner environment.

Any businesses caught allowing customers to smoke would be warned and repeat offenders would face escalating fines, Chris Krikken, a spokesman for the Food and Wares Authority charged with enforcing the ban, told the Associated Press.

Aaaah ... at least may usok pa rin.

[v6dreamer]

It is legal in Holland (Netherlands). They actually have what they call Coffee Shops where you can go and choose from a wide variety of different kinds of Hasch or Marijuana. I have been there lots of times during my teenage years and later. It is pretty cool!

It breaks down like this: it's legal to buy it, it's legal to own it, and, if you're the proprietor of a hash bar, it's legal to sell it. It's legal to carry it, which doesn't really matter 'cause - get a load of this - if the cops stop you, it's illegal for them to search you."
This quote is almost scripture one for anyone who is even remotely cinematically literate. Just in case, it's a snippet from "Pulp Fiction": John Travolta's Vincent explains to Samuel L. Jackson's Jules to what extent marijuana is legal in the Netherlands, encapsulating what most people know about Dutch drug policy.
The second most-asked question that people ask, when they find out that you just returned from Holland, is "Did you smoke any weed while you were there?" Other versions: "Are those coffee shops for real?" and sometimes, with a knowing smile, "Exactly how much dope did you smoke?"
Technically, marijuana and hash (a cannabis derivative) is illegal in Holland. The Dutch, to appease major trading partners that criminalize certain drugs - most notably the U.S., France, and Germany - have laws on the books that criminalize those drugs as well. However, Dutch authorities apply "non-enforcement" concerning the sale of marijuana by koffieshops to customers for personal use.
Why? The Dutch government tends to take a pragmatic approach to social issues, classifying illegal drug use as more of a public health issue, and making a distinction between hard drugs - such as heroin and cocaine - and soft drugs. To sum up their rationale, "These problems are never going away completely. We should use fewer resources to limit them to a manageable level." (For those who might argue that vices such as drug use and prostitution are morally wrong, they examine our own society, particularly in this region - for a place in which many people might profess to be religious or go to church regularly, there are still prostitutes and drugs. Obviously, the onus of faith and/or criminal prosecution doesn't deter people.)
So, to add to what Quentin Tarantino has taught us, here are the rules:
Coffeeshops can sell up to 5 grams of marijuana or hash to an individual. (Who needs more than that all at once, anyway?) The coffee shops must pay taxes on their sales, and they are not allowed to advertise. You must be at least 18 to buy marijuana.

[empy]

i think tobacco is far and away unhealthier than cannabis anyway...not just to the smoker, but the people around them :D

[niky]

Well, considering cannabis isn't a carcinogen like nicotine is... the banning or non-banning of addictive substances is mostly cultural. Up to a hundred or so years ago, opium was perfectly acceptable and legal in western societies. And alcohol, despite being addictive and bad for your health in large quantities, is still legal just about everywhere.

[CVT]

Hey man,- peace man! That's cool!

Well, I've always liked the smell of mariju*n* smoke better than tobacco smoke...

And, here's the clincher:
"When I was in England, I experimented with marijuana a time or two, and I didn't like it. I didn't inhale and never tried it again." –Bill Clinton

6303:fetch:

[StraightSix]

Ang haba ng copy/paste, hehehe.

[GerardTagayty]

where can i find the nearest embassy??