22 reactions to this article

Tom posted: 12-03-2008 | 9:36 AM

It disheartens me to hear that the once renown liberal stance taking by the Dutch people is been eroded by staunch conservatism. I expect politicians to work for the people in a rational manner. Talk to the scientists, the economists, the health care official and the police and form their opinion upon that feedback not some spoon feed belief system designed to turn this place into a nanny-state. Live

Tom posted: 12-03-2008 | 10:01 AM

<2nd part of post got cut off> Live

Tom posted: 12-03-2008 | 10:11 AM

<Dear Expatica you need to special char escape the user input for this to work properly>

Anyhow for the 3rd time :p

Live and let live! By the way my drug of choice is alcohol and if it was only invented today it would never be legalised as in a new drug classification system based upon how harmful drugs are it came in at the 5th most harmful drug. Heroin

Tom posted: 12-03-2008 | 10:13 AM

<and if you are going to restrict the size of replies please let poepel know about it first>
Heroin

Tom posted: 12-03-2008 | 10:15 AM

<sorry that was actually the ampersand not been escaped problem again - my bad for making the same 'mistake twice' anyhow rant over back to work>
Heroin and cocaine are number 1

Tom posted: 12-03-2008 | 10:16 AM

<maybe a preview would be useful for idiots like me :p>

Heroin

Tom posted: 12-03-2008 | 10:17 AM

Heroin and cocaine are number 1 and 2 respectively while Cannabis came in at 11 See http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/5230006.stm

Damion Heersink posted: 12-03-2008 | 11:52 AM

The government seems hell-bent on making Amsterdam just another pretty place to take pictures and that's about it. Amsterdam will lose its identity as a place of openness, tolerance, creativity, and where ideas can flourish if all these reforms are enacted. The artistic, interesting, open-minded people who are the creative lifeblood of this city will leave if they feel their freedom being encroached upon. It may not happen all at once but it will be a slow, painful death of an atmosphere unlike any other in the world. Amsterdam will no longer be the draw it is, because it will have nothing unique. The canals are nice, but not enough to compensate for Amsterdam's downsides. Tourism will go down sharply, the cultural offerings will decline with fewer artists and designers, educated and demanding people like me will leave. The city will also hasten its slide to being a second-tier European business city as it will have lost its luster in the eyes of foreign talent. I for one moved here for the energy, passion, and creativity of the city. If I wanted to shop for clothes (red light district to become shopping area), I could have moved to Miami (which has better weather and tax laws). I've never been happier than I have been living here but that's because of the gezelligheid that comes from such an open, inviting atmosphere. That atmosphere is created by tolerance of ideas, people, and (love it or hate it) "vices". I and many, many others will have very little incentive to stay without this atmosphere because, come on, when you take that away and compare Amsterdam to other world cities, what other advantages does it have aside from pretty canals?

Jon Reykdalin posted: 12-03-2008 | 5:21 PM

Book you flight to Jamaica now!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/11/internationalcrime

Johnny Reb posted: 12-03-2008 | 11:03 PM

When I first moved to Amsterdam, it was funny, kind of quirky place that was better than the alternatives. Eight years of this pinhead prime minister, and dual nationality is gone (so no one bothers and all the politicians wonder why), we're all supposed to pay thousands of Euros to learn how to operate bancomats (as if we'd never been able to get money before), the coffeeshops are on the verge of being forced out of business (there goes 50% of the visitors to Amsterdam, and no one comes to NL to see The Hague or Rotterdam), the stores will now be closed on Sundays (killing 10-15% of turnover at one go)... oh and now Prime Minister Pinhead is asking for "European solidarity" with that idiot Wilders. Yes, the rest of Europe is going to stick up for a country too terrified of itself to take care of its own problems. Sorry, but NL is going to be suffering for a very long time in the future, with a new reputation as a boring, closed, racist society scared of everything, grey in its outlook with the personality of a cabbage. Bravo Balkie!

American Ex-Patriot posted: 13-03-2008 | 12:31 AM

I recently relocated to the Amsterdam Area from the United States. I am, officially, an American Ex-Patriot and I have no desire to ever return to the USA. I believe in free choice when it comes to a person's desire to use, or not to use, substances such as marijuana, hash, cocaine, alcohol, tobacco, or any other controlled or addictive substance. There is a definite draw to the Netherlands based on the social tolerance that is so defining about Dutch culture. The United States has, indeed, become a totalitarian police state and this is without regards to any individual person's educational level or other social or intellectual ability. I am doctorally educated, degreed, and wealthy by any country's standards and I appreciate the cultural openness that defines the Netherlands. If sweeping changes come to this country in the form of strict - conservative - drug laws and the outlawing of coffee shops, etc., I will have to re-think my decision about the relocation I made to this country. I hope I do not have to do this in the near future. Life should be enjoyed by peaceful - responsible - people, not fretted upon.

Moka posted: 13-03-2008 | 8:08 AM

To expatica and the readers:

I am hearing different things about the apparent success of the Dutch drug tolerance system.

You have mentioned in the article:
"its supporters within the Netherlands are quick to point out that it has been a shining success story."

But from other articles I have read, the ones against are having their own statistics that say the policy worsens things.

Would be interesting to see an objective comparison between the actual data, with links to source where available.

Maybe some of the readers have information on that.

Z posted: 19-03-2008 | 9:06 PM

Back to the criminals then for your soft drugs, I'm sure they will be the real winners and I don't think they pay tax. After all I thought this was the main reason for the current intelligent policy or have they forgotten.

Aussie Steve posted: 19-03-2008 | 11:42 PM

Yes it's a shame, one of the few good and intelligent things about Holland will be destroyed, along with the lives of many people, by the moronic 'do-gooders' with empty 'beliefs' about right and wrong. Legal prostitution is also on the chopping block I hear, so more rapes, great for society.

Gezellig posted: 20-03-2008 | 10:21 AM

Most coffee shops I've been to have a nice mellow vibe. Curtains on the shop windows? We aren't doing anything wrong! We're just relaxing!

Patrick posted: 20-03-2008 | 11:03 AM

I'm a dual National living in the Nederlands preicisely for the reasons so many others have mentioned here.

I'm not too concerned about these silly threats to change the current rules regarding the policy of tolerance.
As another reader pointed out as soon as the tourists stop coming and the taxxes start being exacted from the rest of the provinces this discussion will end.

All the Left has to do to shut these Righties up is ask where the money is going to come from.

If I've learned anything about the Dutch they don't like having to take more and more taxxes. When you factor in the increase to 20% of the Vat and the much more expensive compulsory insurance I'm pretty sure that nobody is going to say, "Oh yes, please let us eleiminate the tourism business and increase my taxxes!"

So the left need only raise the talking point of "Where is this money going to come from?" and the debate will be over.

tony posted: 20-03-2008 | 8:30 PM

I moved here 2 years ago, and it has already lost its shine, the government are pushing away people who are not dutch, and creating a hard unfriendly atmosphere, just asking for directions gets 'you must speak dutch, ironically in english when' the tax office the same, when dutch can speak english, they choose not too, unless money is involved, so go back to how you were, i left and sold up recently, financilly, holland is losing out, pushing away likeminded people, wake up before its too late

Lolo posted: 24-03-2008 | 9:42 AM

As am American Expat from NYC, I moved here to be with my partner, but gradually adapted to a more liberal lifestyle here, which I found refreshing...ok, I would prefer not to see the trash, urine and gut-content on the street (in centrum), but the fact that most of us are socially responsible should not mean that we are punished for those who may visit for the weekend and go overboard with partying....I only hope the gov't here is not bowing to the american gov't officials and their 'morals'....unless they want a repeat of the states, 1 in 100 people in prison, increased crime (rapes, illegal drug selling, guns, murders), and gov't officials who make big profits under the table (Bush and Cheney, enough said) talking out both sides of their mouth!!!!

Andy Clarke posted: 16-05-2008 | 1:16 PM

A disgraceful policy which will only serve to drive the drug into the hands of the black market.
Prohibition leads to an expansion of orginised crime and an explosion in hard drug use. This policy should be resisted at all costs....

dedavid posted: 16-05-2008 | 11:27 PM

It's a really stupid idea to eliminate a policy that is effective a reducing hard drug addiction and violent crime. If the government takes a long, hard look at prohibitionist policies like those of the United States, I think they will be shocked at the criminal justice system costs, from prosecutions to imprisonment. They will likely have a hard time getting public support to raise revenues, then have to do an about-face. The U.S. public is moving more and more toward legalization, at least of medical marijuana. You can pretty much believe the violent crime gangland scenes you see on the U.S.-American television shows and movies, and you can expect a rise in violence as people have no other recourse than to settle disputes on their own. Get ready for the Dutch version of Al Capone!

Thomas posted: 18-05-2008 | 6:16 PM

My wife and myself travel and live in Amsterdam for up to 10 days,3 times per year and have being doing this for the past 6 years.We spend atleast £2000 in your city on every trip we make,however if your Goverment closes down Coffee Shops and takes away our choice of life and the freedom of Amsterdam,then we will certainly never step foot in your country again.The dutch goverment are CLOWNS.

Jim posted: 18-05-2008 | 7:13 PM

I can't help thinking this is what happens when you elect any political party with the word "Christian" in their title. Prohibition has never worked and this has been proven time and time again over several decades in many different places. Not many young Dutch people smoke weed; compare that to the figures in the UK, Spain, Germany etc etc etc.

This government is dangerously stupid, I'm afraid.