Out for a short ride today. But the seawall at Sunset Beach was a strange scene — it’s the 4/20 Vancouver marijuana event (named after the date). It is in theory intended to speed up the impending federal legalization of the demon weed. You can protest, and join in to sell product and establish brand names. And a big toke of civil disobedience thrown in — maybe (it’s all a bit hazy). Lots going on there.
I see it as a wild west of unrestrained capitalism, which I’m sure delights all neo-libertarians everywhere. And purchasers have no idea what they are buying, from whom, how strong it is, what else is in it, and so on. Caveat emptor, indeed. It seems to me that the sooner the better for legalization, as we teeter, dazed and confused, between the old struck-down medical-weed laws and some sort of impending Federal legislation and city police indifference and local city shop licensing.
We ought to learn from our European friends, who are decades ahead of us. Since 1976, the Netherlands chose to openly ignore cannabis use, and possession of small amounts for personal use. Hundreds of “coffee shops” sprung up across the country, especially Amsterdam. But the status quo is changing; cannabis with more than 15% THC that makes it intoxicating is now under consideration to be reclassified as one of the ‘hard drugs’ that come with stiff penalties. The govt has given the choice to coffee shops where marijuana is sold to choose between alcohol or pot, prompting many to choose … the former. Amsterdam once had nearly 300 coffee shops, more than 1,000 scattered across the country. There are now fewer than 200 in the city and only 617 nationwide. Cities such as Maastricht have banned foreigners from coffee shops since 2005.
While it’s always been illegal to grow marijuana in the Netherlands, authorities passively allow coffee shops to sell weed, ignoring the shops’ sources. But no longer. New laws target even the smallest of marijuana growers in Holland. It’s a significant change, as private, professional growers (who use electric lights, special soil, seeds and ventilation) risk major penalties, including eviction and blacklisting from the govt-provided housing in which more than half of the country’s citizens reside.Other factors influencing the Dutch government crackdown are pressure from outside nations, especially France, which has pushed the International Narcotics Control board to sanction Holland for violating international treaties on drug laws with its permissive pot policy.
Cannabis is illegal in Spain, but the govt doesn’t prosecute personal consumption and there’s no implicit limit on the number of plants a person can grow. Barcelona is developing a reputation as “the new Amsterdam,” meaning Holland is losing out on a significant source of revenue: drug tourists, who represent a major element of city economies. About a third of all visitors to Amsterdam step into one of its coffee shops at some point; nationally, one in five.
Lol. This article…