2007-10-04 05:19:46 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Travel ➔ Europe (Continental) ➔ Netherlands
okkk to all thoses extre people with no lives i want to know when did they start to tun a blind eye to it? happy now get a life
2007-10-04 05:31:14 · update #1
The Dutch never legalised the good stuff. Ever. The Dutch police merely decided that it was a more workable policy to keep separate the dealers in hard drugs and the dealer of the good stuff. That way users would not be encouraged to try something with a little more zing when they got bored with, as you call it, the good stuff, and therefore were a lot less likely to become addicted to hard drugs. No exposure to it meant a greatly reduced likelihood of being another statistic. Therefore they leave the soft drug dealers alone and allow them to run their coffeeshops, but there's a funny loophole in the Dutch law that says no-one can buy large amounts of good stuff, which means that those dealers have to be a bit circumspect, and the police have to turn a blind eye if they suspect anything .... that said, if the police suspect a soft drugs dealer of peddling the likes of cocaine or heroin, they'll move in and shut him down within hours. In this way the police can keep on eye on who's dealing the really dangerous stuff. An ordinary person is allowed to possess enough good stuff for his or her own use, but only the coffeeshop owners are allowed to sell. It sounds barmy, but it has worked much better than the blanket ban in operation in other EU countries, as fewer young people get into the nose candy, for example.
2007-10-04 10:27:04 · answer #1 · answered by Orla C 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
never?
In contrary to popular belief, marihuana is not legal in the netherlands.
it is tolerated. this means there are set amounts on that which a single person can carry on the streets without facing persecution. This rule was instituted because the dutch police did not deem it necesary to attack the smalltime users, but get only drug trafficers and drug dealers. So far since this rule was instituted in i think 1997 (not 100% sure) it has been a great success.
prioritys of this have been defined in the guidlines for the district attourny in regards to the search for and persecution of substances under the opiumlaw. (richtlijnen voor het openbaar ministerie voor de opsporing en vervolging van opiumwetsdelicten)
smoking (in general) in publicplaces is illegal.
carrying more than 5 grams is illegal.
selling packages larger than 5 grams, is illegal
selling packages to minors is illegal.
selling without a permit a IS ILLEGAL.
if in a house less than 5 grams is found, or less than 5 mariuhana plants. the drugs may be confistaced. but no criminal persucution will follow. the only way police can deviate from this rule, is if beforehand, a drug ban has been issues for the specific area in a local ordinance. the holder can then be fined up to €125
2007-10-04 13:54:46 · answer #2 · answered by mrzwink 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Hi Mr Trend,
As far as I know it has never been illegal here in the Netherlands.
It was first sold by private people at various locations.
The first coffeeshops started appearing somewhere in the late '60's/early '70s and from the beginning it has been tolerated and later regulated similar to the way alcohol has been for much longer.
I was just a child at the time but I sometimes go to a coffeeshop that's been around for 25 years and I had a conversation about this there a few months ago...
I hope this answers your question
(you will not get arrested for smoking it anywhere in the Netherlands unless you refuse to put it out when police tell you to and or are really making a nuisance)
I think there's a lot of debate about if it's technically legal or just tolerated. Who cares? Practically if you behave and follow a few simple rules you will not be fined, arrested or prosecuted so practically it's legal and has been for ages. Period.
My answer to the question "when did the Dutch legalize the good stuff (cannabis) and were you there when they 1st did?" is that it has always been "technically illegal" while "practically legal" and I seriously doubt if anyone has ever been arrested for using it in the Netherlands unless that person was making a nuisance or otherwise "misbehaving".
good info minimaker!
the other answerer; if you study law you should know that rules/laws are not made by the police, they just enforce them (or sometimes they don't enforce them but that's a different story)
2007-10-04 12:40:37 · answer #3 · answered by Vince has left the building... 5 · 1⤊ 3⤋
According to this site:
http://www.cannabisquest.nl/index.pl/nl/list/9 (sorry, in Dutch)
Officially illegal in the Netherlands from 1928 on
Increase in popularity in the Netherlands: 1960
First coffeeshop: 1972
New druglaw: 1976
So it's since 1976 that under certain circumstances the use and sale of cannabis is not persecuted. Officially it remain an illegal substance though. If you want to know more: check the resolved questions. This has been discussed quite often.
Oh, and yes, I was around but not at an age I was interested in it. As it is, I've never been interested in using cannabis. Some friends do though.
2007-10-04 14:05:33 · answer #4 · answered by minimaker 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Its not legal just turned a blind eye to.
2007-10-04 12:28:36 · answer #5 · answered by geoff t 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Its not legalized.Its just tolerated through methods of control ,as in the coffee shops.Found smoking it on the streets and you will be arrested.
2007-10-04 12:29:02 · answer #6 · answered by Niamh 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
as far as i am aware - this started in the 60`s..
with hippies etc.
Since i`m from 1972 - i wasn`t , yet ;)
2007-10-04 15:45:51 · answer #7 · answered by U_S_S_Enterprise 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't know - but you can smoke this stuff in the cafes, you are given a menu so you can choose what you would like to smoke
2007-10-04 12:28:15 · answer #8 · answered by lydja 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It's not legal but nobody worries.
2007-10-04 12:27:12 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
HI,
don't know when ? but i wish i was there for the
celebrations!!!!!!!
2007-10-04 12:29:39 · answer #10 · answered by CHAVSIE 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋