Game Over For Grow Shops In The Netherlands

[Sativied]

Today the dutch senate approved a new legislation, unofficially referred to as the grow shop law (but affects many others too), that makes facilitating cannabis grows illegal and punishable with jail time.

The new law, quick and dirty translation:

"He who "stuff" or items prepares, modifies, processes, offers for sale, sells, delivers, transports, creates, OR, provides transport means, space, money, or other financial means, OF which he knows or has strong reasons to believe they were meant for illegal cannabis grows, will be punished with a max of 3 years in prison or a fine of the 5th category."

All cannabis grows except those from Bedrocan (medical supplier) are illegal. Also those that supply coffeeshops (according to the MoJ only 20%, the rest is supposedly exported).

Law goes into effect March next year. Additional cops will be assigned to investigate and enforce.

 

[Sativied]

Link to an English article about it:

 

[geologic]

Politicians,
money;
and phoney morality--
bad mix...

 

[Sativied]

It technically doesn't end with just grow shops either. Seed banks, CANNAbis specific nutrients. It's madness.

 

[jumpincactus]

Yea I have seen a few videos last couple of days and this is true and happening. A lot of coffeeshops in the Dam are having to close their doors for being too close to schools and such.

Makes you wonder why with the rest of the planet getting on board finally what caused this to become an issue.

Here is the link there are 28 coffee shops scheduled to be closed.

http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/3485-amsterdam-coffeeshops-phased-out

 

[Sativied]

A lot of coffeeshops in the Dam are having to close their doors for being too close to schools and such.

Yeah that's a whole issue by itself. There's the socalled I-criterium, which basically says coffeeshops can legally only sell to residents, i.e. not tourists. Although it is only in effect in a few cities (one, Maastricht, now has the highest crime rate in the country), it's not applicable in Amsterdam because they basically made a deal with the MoJ, which is that closing of coffeeshops that are closer to schools and bring back the number to 150 shops or so.

Makes you wonder why with the rest of the planet getting on board finally what caused this to become an issue.

Above all it's the current leading political party that won for a change, combined with smaller parties that have a conservative christian/religious foundation they got a majority for this law and pretty much everything anti-cannabis.

According to the MoJ and unreliable reports only 20% of what is grown here is for coffeeshops, 80% is exported and supposedly grown by organized criminals (which partly is true, greedy folks ramming houses and buildings full, burning them down giving the rest a bad name). That 20% isn't actually legal, coffeeshops are allowed to sell, not buy or grow. So this new law is supposedly meant to target the 80% but since there's no legal way to make a distinction (which is just a nonsense excuse of course) they target everyone involved.

The main argument used against fully legalizing (which it never was here, just tolerated) are supposedly UN and EU agreements.

 

[oscar169]

I feel bad for all the shops over there, the people had a great run over there, They had many years that We would travel and spend our money over there at all the Coffer Shops and Cannabis Cups, That is another thing I don't for see any more Cups being held over there with this new crack down on Marijuana, I guess all them people will have to start coming to the USA for Cannabis Cups and Clubs and Rec Weed, It will help our economy grow..