The city council of Eindhoven in the south of the Netherlands has rejected the idea of a pass system for buyers of marijuana. Local politicians in nearby Den Bosch and Maastricht have already come out against introducing ‘weed-passes’, the aim of which would be to bar the sale of cannabis to other than Dutch residents.
In the Netherlands, outlets called ‘coffeeshops’ can be licensed to sell small amounts of marijuana. In recent years, ‘drugs tourists’ from across the border in Belgium and Germany have caused increasing trouble in southern Dutch towns where they come to buy pot.
Crime wave
More recently still, towns including Eindhoven have been hit by a wave of violent crime connected to the supply of cannabis to the outlets. While the sale of marijuana is permitted, the supply of the soft drugs to licensed coffeeshops remains illegal and is controlled by criminal networks.
Under the pass system being proposed by the government, coffeeshops would become clubs with membership only open to local people. Eindhoven Mayor Rob van Gijzel is not convinced, arguing the government should get tough with the criminals involved in the supply of cannabis, and not penalise the customers.
(mw/rk)
© Radio Netherlands Worldwide
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If it were for me I would ban marijuana usage completely, but I guess selling it in small amounts should keep things under control. I am not surprised the crimes level had increased due the permissive law regarding this drug, I can only imagine the addicts reaction when they didn't get it. Anyways, this is one of the reasons I prefer herbal smoking products, are easy to get and are legal.
"is controlled by criminal networks." I didn't know that RNW has such a vast undercover operation.... When is the Dutch Government and its mouthpieces like the RNW going to stop blaming the mob for EVERYTHING...I think we know its lack of government competence is the real reason. The Netherlands was the light of sanity, now that light is much dimmer.