Criminal Justice Petition: Legalize Medicinal and Recreational Marijuana Use

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Legalize Medicinal and Recreational Marijuana Use

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143 out of 200
Petitioning
1. The President of the United States (+ 5 others)
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  The President of the United States
  
  The U.S. Senate
  
  The U.S. House of Representatives
  
  Your Governor
  
  Your State Senate
  
  Your State House
Created By
Ronnie K Endre
Santa Fe, NM

I have an Idea to make enormous income to bring Michigan and even America out of our excessive deficit. Legalize Marijuana. First of all, I am totally Antidrug oriented. My eldest inherited his father’s Psychotic mental disorder. When he was in FIRST grade, the school system forced me into putting him on drugs or they were going to expel him! I was forced into doing so. Lithium, Ritalin, Prozac, and Wellbutrin were just a FEW. I endured the side affects just as he! I was very involved in Groups, had him tested at the Denver Children’s hospital, Therapy, Psychiatry, Probation, Residential Treatment, Special Ed, Learning Styles and Boot Camps...All of which never CURED my son. When he was sixteen and I was in college, I had the opportunity of identifying his true ailment. In my last Assignment in Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, we were studying the Antisocial Personality Disorder, or Psychotic, and it was called in the past. It is a disorder in which people are literally missing-never being born with, the conscience part of the brain. It is a real part of the brain structure; it's like someone being born without a hand. Only two percent of the population is actually diagnosed and the rest all slip thru the cracks in society. Mainly they are all of the convicts we house in our prisons. Aside from actually transplanting a conscience from another person, these people have to work extremely hard to think about right and wrong, and the consequences of their words and actions. #1 Marijuana is a safe substance that would promote a calming affect and eliminate anxiety in this psychologically challenged populace. Secondly, I am a child of a long history of Alcoholism. You and I both know that Alcohol is a drug which is out of control. A person can overdose, blackout, kill, and ruin their life with this LEGAL drug. #2 How many people have overdosed, blacked out, killed and ruined their lives while using Marijuana? Thirdly, my mother is a cancer survivor. She is a hypochondriac, an alcoholic and now addicted to morphine. She is young, sixty two. She HAS abused the system, could have worked while my sisters and I were growing up, but her drugs and alcohol prevented that, not to mention all of the neglect, emotional, sexual and physical abuse she incurred upon us. With my family’s history, I am very anti-drug and anti-alcohol oriented. #3 The American People voted in favor of Medicinal Marijuana to treat pain, it is non-narcotic, non-addictive, safe and natural. Fourthly, when was the last time you sat down and watched TV? I guess it was about five years ago that all of these drug companies started airing all of these drug commercials. There's a pill for everything. All of America is on some sort of drug. #4 We need to eliminate all of these unsafe legal narcotics and allow Americans the use of Marijuana to treat pain, nausea, loss of appetite, stress, and anxiety. It is a natural alternative used all over the world! Fifthly, have you had the opportunity to travel to other states and countries where marijuana is legal? They don't have the problems of so many crimes and alcohol related deaths. #5 Marijuana would reduce the number of crimes and alcohol related deaths. Sixthly, it is a BILLION DOLLAR industry. Why not use it to our Nations advantage? It has been approved by The People for Medicinal uses-which I think is great, if my own mother would smoke it instead of taking all of those narcotics, she could have prevented all of those severe falls which had detrimental outcomes while being in her narcotic drug stupors. #6 As a Billion Dollar Industry, We could use this income to alleviate our Federal Deficit! Seventhly, Marijuana is not addicting. You could never overdose or black out smoking it. It is much safer than alcohol AND narcotics and should be considered as recreational! #7 As a recreational substance, it does not cause overdoses, alter your perception, tarnish your judgment, nor cause black outs! Can you say this about legal alcohol, oxycoten and morphine? Eighthly, it also has the ability to create business for textiles, skin care AND medicinal uses. #8 Marijuana has several productive uses: a market for clothing, fabric, rope, skincare, recreational and medicinal utilization. Ninthly, it is Natural. #9 Marijuana doesn’t need to be distilled nor compounded in a laboratory, it is grown naturally. Tenthly, it would create millions of jobs, planting, growing, harvesting, processing, regulating and packaging it. #10 Creating hundreds of thousands of jobs is what America needs NOW! America, only days from being in a depression, need to act fast because we don’t have time for our Auto Industries to negotiate when they’re going to create the new car of the future! And lastly, our prisons are overloaded with a ton of petty offenders. The only people whom should be placed in prison are those that have committed murder or sex crimes(all-animal, women, children and men). A suggestion: Mandate those deadbeat parents that do not pay child support, enforce it by paying that child support directly from their social security funds! Those that commit theft and other similar crimes should be put in a work furlough group to complete our community service, such as rebuilding roads, cleaning up polluted lands & waterways and recycling facilities! #11 We would shave off billions of dollars of deficit by releasing petty criminals from our prisons. I can pass a drug test. I do smoke Marijuana and I think you should seriously consider my suggestion. We need to turn Michigan and the United States around. Look at the top 10 best countries in which to live in. In these countries marijuana is legal. They do not have the crime, unemployment nor the problems we do. America has turned into a corrupt police country. We have let our previous government discard our civil liberties, moral, livelihoods, and lives.       On another note, I am very involved in the Community and offer my services. I volunteered, campaigned and canvassed for both you, President Obama, and Governor Granholm-She would better know me as the Sharpie Gal-at Electrolux’s last picnic, while I was waiting in line to speak with her, a young boy had brought up a Frisbee to be autographed-he only had a ball point pen and she had explained it wouldn’t write on the plastic, he needed to find a Sharpie. So there I stood, and said I have one. So I began digging into my purse until I pulled out a Sharpie. She started laughing and stated, “What is this, let’s make a deal?” Anyways, I worked hard towards both of your candidacies because I TRUST, BELIEVE IN, and AM FOR what you both represent, a fair, just, and honest government!        Here is an article from a country in which Marijuana is legal and read what they have to say:     The Dutch Press Review 10 November 2008 In the last few weeks, NORML has received numerous inquiries from international and American media, and concerned NORML members, regarding the current and future legal status of The Netherlands’ tolerant and pragmatic cannabis policies. Recent news headlines have concentrated on minority Dutch parties and academics (many of whom have historically opposed the ‘coffee shop’ model) that have been able to persuade coalition government parties (who favor cannabis tolerance) in making two small concessions on where cannabis-selling cafes can be located in the country: *43 of 228 cannabis-selling cafes in the city of Amsterdam will have to close by the end of 2011 because they are located less than 275 yards from a secondary school. One of the unfortunate victims of this political and zoning concession is the famous Bulldog Café on the Leidseplein. *In the border city of Maastricht, in an effort to assuage neighboring countries, the city council has voted to remove coffee shops from the center city area (however, allowing them in the suburbs and neighborhoods). According to the ministry of justice ‘coffee shops’ in The Netherlands where cannabis is sold fell from 729 in 2005 to 702 in 2007. Dutch drug policy expert Peter Cohen tells NORML that the efforts of the anti-cannabis Christian Democratics “maybe no more than a prelude to some sort of regulation of cannabis production for recreational use. Every one is ready for it.” A few days after these minor changes in Dutch cannabis were announced, a cannabis policy summit was convened by the influential Association of Dutch Municipalities in Almere where announcements were made that seem to affirm the Dutch’s fondness for their hundreds of cannabis-selling cafes: 1) Surveys of Dutch mayors from Binneblands and NRC newspaper were released indicating strong support for cannabis-selling cafes: 54 of 88 mayors favor legalizing cannabis sales, including the mayors of Amsterdam, Maastricht, Haarlem and Hilversum. Another 25 said they are satisfied with the current system of tolerated sales and 9 favor banning cannabis-selling cafes. 2) A result of convening the November 21 ‘cannabis summit’ in Almere was that instead of a narrowing the Dutch cannabis policies, representatives of more than 30 city governments seeking a path towards genuinely legal sales of cannabis agreed to create a municipally owned cannabis cultivation and processing center in the city of Eindhoven. In an interview in the November 21st Volkskrant Amsterdam mayor Job Cohen makes it clear that the closing (or likely re-location) of the 43 cannabis-selling cafes in Amsterdam slated for 2011 is happening because of pressure from the national government, not his own judgment, “ We have cast iron arguments…a total ban on coffee shops really will not reduce the use of drugs.” ‘The Mafia In The United States Was Founded Thanks To Prohibition’
-Christian Democrat mayor of Maastricht The ‘maverick’ Christian Democrat mayor of Maastricht, like his counterpart Mayor Cohen in Amsterdam, favors regulated coffee shops and compromise now with the national government with an eye to future regulations and controls for cannabis-selling cafes. Mayor Cohen went on to tell the cannabis summit in Almere that legalization of cannabis production and sales makes it easier for government to control and reduce the involvement of organized crime. Volkskrant estimates that 25% of tourists coming to Amsterdam visit cannabis-selling cafés, and Mayor Cohen points out that cannabis tourists cause much less of a nuisance than foreigners who drink alcohol. What is the uptake of all of this? -Cannabis has been for almost 30 years, is now, and will continue to be legally sold in the Netherlands at hundreds of cannabis-selling cafes to adults over 18 years of age; -The 43 cannabis-selling cafes scheduled to close (or re-locate) in 2011 are part of citywide effort to gentrify parts of Amsterdam’s ‘Old City’ that are prime for urban and tourist redevelopment; -Cannabis tourists from Germany and Belgium can no longer readily purchase cannabis at nearby cross border cannabis-selling cafes or in the center of Maastricht; -The Dutch still have the best, most effective and humane cannabis policy in the world.

What suggestions do I have to support this cause?
To keep in mind conserving energy, prevent further global warming, and creating jobs, why not let it be grown locally? Let the citizens apply to be growers, not only will the government have a lucrative commodity, we eliminate the deficit and the need to transport the product, not to mention, give people a livelihood! Let’s keep it local, like the farmers markets!

Legalize Medicinal and Recreational Marijuana Use!

Dear Representative,

I have an Idea to make enormous income to bring Michigan and even America out of our excessive deficit.   Legalize Marijuana.   First of all, I am totally Antidrug oriented. My eldest inherited his father’s Psychotic mental disorder. When he was in FIRST grade, the school system forced me into putting him on drugs or they were going to expel him! I was forced into doing so. Lithium, Ritalin, Prozac, and Wellbutrin were just a FEW. I endured the side affects just as he! I was very involved in Groups, had him tested at the Denver Children’s hospital, Therapy, Psychiatry, Probation, Residential Treatment, Special Ed, Learning Styles and Boot Camps...All of which never CURED my son. When he was sixteen and I was in college, I had the opportunity of identifying his true ailment. In my last Assignment in Psychology, Abnormal Psychology, we were studying the Antisocial Personality Disorder, or Psychotic, and it was called in the past. It is a disorder in which people are literally missing-never being born with, the conscience part of the brain. It is a real part of the brain structure; it's like someone being born without a hand. Only two percent of the population is actually diagnosed and the rest all slip thru the cracks in society. Mainly they are all of the convicts we house in our prisons. Aside from actually transplanting a conscience from another person, these people have to work extremely hard to think about right and wrong, and the consequences of their words and actions.    #1 Marijuana is a safe substance that would promote a calming affect and eliminate anxiety in this psychologically challenged populace.   Secondly, I am a child of a long history of Alcoholism. You and I both know that Alcohol is a drug which is out of control. A person can overdose, blackout, kill, and ruin their life with this LEGAL drug.   #2 How many people have overdosed, blacked out, killed and ruined their lives while using Marijuana?    Thirdly, my mother is a cancer survivor. She is a hypochondriac, an alcoholic and now addicted to morphine. She is young, sixty two. She HAS abused the system, could have worked while my sisters and I were growing up, but her drugs and alcohol prevented that, not to mention all of the neglect, emotional, sexual and physical abuse she incurred upon us. With my family’s history, I am very anti-drug and anti-alcohol oriented.    #3 The American People voted in favor of Medicinal Marijuana to treat pain, it is non-narcotic, non-addictive, safe and natural.    Fourthly, when was the last time you sat down and watched TV? I guess it was about five years ago that all of these drug companies started airing all of these drug commercials. There's a pill for everything. All of America is on some sort of drug.   #4 We need to eliminate all of these unsafe legal narcotics and allow Americans the use of Marijuana to treat pain, nausea, loss of appetite, stress, and anxiety. It is a natural alternative used all over the world!    Fifthly, have you had the opportunity to travel to other states and countries where marijuana is legal? They don't have the problems of so many crimes and alcohol related deaths.    #5 Marijuana would reduce the number of crimes and alcohol related deaths.   Sixthly, it is a BILLION DOLLAR industry. Why not use it to our Nations advantage? It has been approved by The People for Medicinal uses-which I think is great, if my own mother would smoke it instead of taking all of those narcotics, she could have prevented all of those severe falls which had detrimental outcomes while being in her narcotic drug stupors.   #6 As a Billion Dollar Industry, We could use this income to alleviate our Federal Deficit!   Seventhly, Marijuana is not addicting. You could never overdose or black out smoking it. It is much safer than alcohol AND narcotics and should be considered as recreational!   #7 As a recreational substance, it does not cause overdoses, alter your perception, tarnish your judgment, nor cause black outs! Can you say this about legal alcohol, oxycoten and morphine?   Eighthly, it also has the ability to create business for textiles, skin care AND medicinal uses.   #8 Marijuana has several productive uses: a market for clothing, fabric, rope, skincare, recreational and medicinal utilization.   Ninthly, it is Natural.   #9 Marijuana doesn’t need to be distilled nor compounded in a laboratory, it is grown naturally.   Tenthly, it would create millions of jobs, planting, growing, harvesting, processing, regulating and packaging it.   #10 Creating hundreds of thousands of jobs is what America needs NOW! America, only days from being in a depression, need to act fast because we don’t have time for our Auto Industries to negotiate when they’re going to create the new car of the future!   And lastly, our prisons are overloaded with a ton of petty offenders. The only people whom should be placed in prison are those that have committed murder or sex crimes(all-animal, women, children and men).   FACT: 1) On the news, either on Channel 8 or 13, a man convicted of performing sex on sheep was given the right to plea bargain to have himself not placed on the national sex offender list!   FACT: 2) Roy Carl of Wyoming, Michigan molested my daughter. When we went in to fill out a report, several other children had come forward. I told the detective that when I moved back to Michigan that was the very first thing I had checked. The detective told me he had previously been given the right of a plea bargain not to be listed on the sex offender list. The detective also stated his father use to be a Chief of Police. Inside favors as these are inhumane! He was a repeat offender. Do you know, he only received a one year sentence? My daughter, whom is in college now, stated that she checked the sex offender list and HE ISN’T ON IT!   FACT: 3) Francis Lee Tumbleson, of Colorado, molested and brainwashed my daughter from birth until I found out and left him. I went to school, work and was a full time mom all the while I was married. He was never convicted for this heinous crime! Since the child support order, September 6, 1996, I have never received a penny of child support for our children. The day a wage assignment was placed-back in 1997, he went into hiding and has been working under the table ever since. He owes me over $100,000 in back support. He uses his current wife’s (Terra P Tumbleson), information, from Honduras, to beat the system. The most recent people search I have done show’s they are still in Colorado. His social security # is 283-40-0020. <a href="http://www.zabasearch.com/redirects/addresslink_redir.php?sname1=TERRA%20P%20TUMBLESON&sname=TERRA%20P%20TUMBLESON&first=TERRA&last=TUMBLESON&middle=P&state=CO&address=400%20ZANG%20ST&city=DENVER&zipcode=80228&&cm=03&cy=2002&phone=">400 ZANG ST,   </a>DENVER, CO  <a href="http://www.zabasearch.com/query1_process.php?sname=80228">80228</a> and <a href="http://www.zabasearch.com/redirects/addresslink_redir.php?sname1=TERRA%20P%20TUMBLESON&sname=TERRA%20P%20TUMBLESON&first=TERRA&last=TUMBLESON&middle=P&state=CO&address=7615%2038TH%20AVE&city=WHEAT%20RIDGE&zipcode=80033&&cm=03&cy=2002&phone=">7615 38TH AVE,  </a>WHEAT RIDGE, CO  <a href="http://www.zabasearch.com/query1_process.php?sname=80033">80033</a> are the latest addresses listed.   A suggestion: Mandate those deadbeat parents that do not pay child support, enforce it by paying that child support directly from their social security funds!    Those that commit theft and other similar crimes should be put in a work furlough group to complete our community service, such as rebuilding roads, cleaning up polluted lands & waterways and recycling facilities! All drug offenders should be mandated to fines.    #11 We would shave off billions of dollars of deficit by releasing petty criminals from our prisons.   I can pass a drug test. I do smoke Marijuana and I think you should seriously consider my suggestion. We need to turn Michigan and the United States around. Look at the top 10 best countries in which to live in. In these countries marijuana is legal. They do not have the crime, unemployment nor the problems we do. America has turned into a corrupt police country. We have let our previous government discard our civil liberties, moral, livelihoods, and lives.       Right now I am seeking employment. I have exhausted unemployment and have no income. I’m behind in my utilities; my mortgage is in a second moratorium, I have $70,000 in student loans and will have no Christmas for my family. Having two degrees, several years of diversified experience, an impeccable attendance record and a Workkeys Silver Certificate, has proven to be of no significance in my search for employment.  I have been unemployed since September 27, 2007. If things don’t turn around for me by the time my youngest graduates next year, I am seriously thinking about moving from America. I can no longer live in such sorrow. It has caused great distress in my life.      On another note, I am very involved in the Community and offer my services. I volunteered, campaigned and canvassed for both you, President Obama, and Governor Granholm-She would better know me as the Sharpie Gal-at Electrolux’s last picnic, while I was waiting in line to speak with her, a young boy had brought up a Frisbee to be autographed-he only had a ball point pen and she had explained it wouldn’t write on the plastic, he needed to find a Sharpie. So there I stood, and said I have one. So I began digging into my purse until I pulled out a Sharpie. She started laughing and stated, “What is this, let’s make a deal?” Anyways, I worked hard towards both of your candidacies because I TRUST, BELIEVE IN, and AM FOR what you both represent, a fair, just, and honest government!   A suggestion: In regards to student loans, those like myself whom were told to go back for that second degree, were wrongly done in the sense that while trying to organize all of our student loans, consolidated them. In doing so, we were locked into a 9% interest rate. Student loan lenders are out of control. FACT: They buy and sell our loans without the borrowers even knowing it. This has caused many grief! The student loan association-Federal and State alike, is in much need of revamping. I would like to suggest that #1, those that have consolidated have their loans, have their rates changed to the ongoing current student loan rate. Why should we be penalized for trying to better our financial situations? And #2, Create an employment tax deferred work-study plan that would allow employees to pay on their student loans directly from their paychecks. Borrowers would not only be elated with the tax break, but their student loans would be repaid at a much quicker rate! It would be a win/win situation!       I would like to also bring an important circumstance to light. I live in Orleans, Michigan. It is a small rural town, with no commerce in it what so ever. The nearest towns offering employment industries are Ionia and Greenville. With Solar, Wind and Water being the energy of the future, Ovonics Solar in Greenville should be hiring by the 1000’s. They have a very tough standard to live by. They have secluded themselves to only hiring Engineers. I was raised in Detroit and pardon me if I may, but Ionia, Belding, Orleans and Greenville are not made of Engineers-Most of them are Farmers, LOL. But that does not mean we are not TRAINABLE. Not only did I take the Applied pre-employment testing, I did exactly what Governor Granholm stated to the gal in the State of Address, retake the test. The gal was also like myself, laid off from Electrolux, but she had back up job experience as well. First of all, if your not outspoken like myself and ask questions, you would never find out you could retake the test, after jumping thru several hoops first, of course. Secondly, No one, of an extremely small percentage anyways passed the Applied Technology Test, even though they did great on the Reading for Info and Locating Info Tests-all which were based on the same criteria. I spent the whole summer studying and quizzing to retake and pass this test. I created about 300 pages of notes to study from. But there was a problem. Not only was the ACT Workkeys Training full of typos, it did not state which answers on the quizzes you scored wrong. How are you supposed to buckle down on your weak areas and study to pass? I scored lower on my second test than my first! Everyone talks in a small town, and this is the truth. Is it possible to hold a meeting with Ovonics Solar and ask why they hadn’t put a curve on the Applied Test due to the results? And ask why they aren’t willing to train new employees? Our economy is depending on this in Ionia and Montcalm Counties! Employing the locals would also cut back on Global Warming due to the little or no commute!      Are you in need of a Graphic Designer? I have about 20 years experience and would love to work for someone whom I strongly believe in! Not only am I bright, dependable, honest, but I understand the enormous amount of immediate workload ahead of us. I would make America proud!   Here is an article from a country in which Marijuana is legal and read what they have to say:   The Dutch Press Review 10 November 2008 <a href="http://sxmislandtime.com/index.php?view=article&catid=31%3Ageneral&id=3889%3Athe-dutch-press-review-10-november-2008&format=pdf&option=com_content"></a> <a href="http://sxmislandtime.com/index.php?view=article&catid=31%3Ageneral&id=3889%3Athe-dutch-press-review-10-november-2008&tmpl=component&print=1&layout=default&page=&option=com_content"></a> <a href="http://sxmislandtime.com/index.php?option=com_mailto&tmpl=component&link=aHR0cDovL3N4bWlzbGFuZHRpbWUuY29tL2luZGV4LnBocD9vcHRpb249Y29tX2NvbnRlbnQmdmlldz1hcnRpY2xlJmlkPTM4ODk6dGhlLWR1dGNoLXByZXNzLXJldmlldy0xMC1ub3ZlbWJlci0yMDA4JmNhdGlkPTMxOmdlbmVyYWwmSXRlbWlkPTc2"></a>   Written by Frank Scimone    Monday, 10 November 2008 19:42 www.sxmislandtime.com
HOLLAND -  "Criminologist: Coffee shops will disappear within two years" is the lead headline in today's Trouw. Henk van de Bunt, professor of criminology at Erasmus University, argues that the Netherlands cannot continue to tolerate the existence of coffee shops and the sale of soft drugs because of "international opposition". He says the policy was only a temporary measure and it was "inevitable" that towns near the Belgian border would decide to close their coffee shops.    Most of today's papers focus on the controversy generated by the recent proposal by Pieter van der Geel, leader of the Christian Democrat parliamentary party, to crack down on coffee shops. The Christian Democrats (CDA) held their annual convention on Saturday and De Volkskrant reports that Mr Van der Geel "received loud applause" after saying: "Forwards to zero coffee shops". The left-wing daily comments, "the CDA's attack on coffee shops and soft drugs has seriously annoyed their Labour coalition partner." Trouw writes that the CDA leader "needled the Labour Party when he proposed closing all coffee shops and ending the toleration of soft drugs".  "The mafia in the United States was founded thanks to prohibition" Shortly afterwards, Mr van de Geel was forced to admit that his party would abide by the terms of the coalition accord that stated there would be no change to existing policies regarding soft drugs during the current term. De Telegraaf covered the news in its Sunday edition, reporting that Dutch police chiefs are opposed to closing coffee shops. The CDA mayor of Maastricht, who is "fervently opposed" to shutting them, says, "The mafia in the United States was founded thanks to prohibition."   <a href="http://blog.norml.org/2008/11/30/are-dutch-cannabis-selling-cafes-going-extinct-here%e2%80%99s-the-truth/">Are Dutch Cannabis-Selling Cafes Going Extinct? Here’s The Truth!</a> November 30th, 2008 By: Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director
Share this Article <a href="http://del.icio.us/post?url=http://blog.norml.org/2008/11/30/are-dutch-cannabis-selling-cafes-going-extinct-here%e2%80%99s-the-truth/&title=Are%20Dutch%20Cannabis-Selling%20Cafes%20Going%20Extinct?%20Here%E2%80%99s%20The%20Truth!"></a><a href="http://digg.com/submit?phase=2&url=http://blog.norml.org/2008/11/30/are-dutch-cannabis-selling-cafes-going-extinct-here%e2%80%99s-the-truth/"></a><a href="http://www.stumbleupon.com/submit?url=http://blog.norml.org/2008/11/30/are-dutch-cannabis-selling-cafes-going-extinct-here%e2%80%99s-the-truth/&title=Are%20Dutch%20Cannabis-Selling%20Cafes%20Going%20Extinct?%20Here%E2%80%99s%20The%20Truth!"></a><a href="http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=http://blog.norml.org/2008/11/30/are-dutch-cannabis-selling-cafes-going-extinct-here%e2%80%99s-the-truth/"></a><a href="http://technorati.com/faves?add=http://blog.norml.org/2008/11/30/are-dutch-cannabis-selling-cafes-going-extinct-here%e2%80%99s-the-truth/"></a><a href="http://blog.norml.org/feed/"></a> “Coffee Shops Will Disappear Within Two Years…The Netherlands Can’t Continue To Tolerate Existence of Coffee Shops Because Of International Opposition.”
-Henk van de Bunt, Professor of Criminology at Erasmus University (<a href="http://sxmislandtime.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3889:the-dutch-press-review-10-november-2008&catid=31:general">Radio Netherlands</a>, Nov. 10, 2008) In the last few weeks, NORML has received numerous inquiries from international and American media, and concerned NORML members, regarding the current and future legal status of The Netherlands’ tolerant and pragmatic cannabis policies. Recent news headlines have concentrated on minority Dutch parties and academics (many of whom have historically opposed the ‘coffee shop’ model) that have been able to persuade coalition government parties (who favor cannabis tolerance) in making two small concessions on where cannabis-selling cafes can be located in the country: *43 of 228 cannabis-selling cafes in the city of Amsterdam will have to close by the end of 2011 because they are located less than 275 yards from a secondary school. One of the unfortunate victims of this political and zoning concession is the famous Bulldog Café on the Leidseplein. *In the border city of Maastricht, in an effort to assuage neighboring countries, the city council has voted to remove coffee shops from the center city area (however, allowing them in the suburbs and neighborhoods). According to the ministry of justice ‘coffee shops’ in The Netherlands where cannabis is sold fell from 729 in 2005 to 702 in 2007. Dutch drug policy expert Peter Cohen tells NORML that the efforts of the anti-cannabis Christian Democratics “maybe no more than a prelude to some sort of regulation of cannabis production for recreational use. Every one is ready for it.” A few days after these minor changes in Dutch cannabis were announced, a <a href="http://www.expatica.com/nl/articles/news/Dutch-town-to-condone-cannabis-farm.html">cannabis policy summit</a> was convened by the influential Association of Dutch Municipalities in Almere where announcements were made that seem to affirm the Dutch’s fondness for their hundreds of cannabis-selling cafes: 1) Surveys of Dutch mayors from Binneblands and NRC newspaper were released indicating strong support for cannabis-selling cafes: 54 of 88 mayors favor legalizing cannabis sales, including the mayors of Amsterdam, Maastricht, Haarlem and Hilversum. Another 25 said they are satisfied with the current system of tolerated sales and 9 favor banning cannabis-selling cafes. 2) A result of convening the November 21 ‘cannabis summit’ in Almere was that instead of a narrowing the Dutch cannabis policies, representatives of more than 30 city governments seeking a path towards genuinely legal sales of cannabis agreed to create a municipally owned cannabis cultivation and processing center in the city of Eindhoven. In an interview in the November 21st <a href="http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2008/11/amsterdam_forced_to_shut_43_ca.php">Volkskrant</a> Amsterdam mayor Job Cohen makes it clear that the closing (or likely re-location) of the 43 cannabis-selling cafes in Amsterdam slated for 2011 is happening because of pressure from the national government, not his own judgment, “ We have cast iron arguments…a total ban on coffee shops really will not reduce the use of drugs.” ‘The Mafia In The United States Was Founded Thanks To Prohibition’
-Christian Democrat mayor of Maastricht The ‘maverick’ Christian Democrat mayor of Maastricht, like his counterpart Mayor Cohen in Amsterdam, favors regulated coffee shops and compromise now with the national government with an eye to future regulations and controls for cannabis-selling cafes. Mayor Cohen went on to tell the cannabis summit in Almere that legalization of cannabis production and sales makes it easier for government to control and reduce the involvement of organized crime. Volkskrant estimates that 25% of tourists coming to Amsterdam visit cannabis-selling cafés, and Mayor Cohen points out that cannabis tourists cause much less of a nuisance than foreigners who drink alcohol. What is the uptake of all of this? -Cannabis has been for almost 30 years, is now, and will continue to be legally sold in the Netherlands at<a href="http://www.coffeeshop.freeuk.com/Map.html"> hundreds of cannabis-selling cafes</a> to adults over 18 years of age; -The 43 cannabis-selling cafes scheduled to close (or re-locate) in 2011 are part of citywide effort to gentrify parts of Amsterdam’s ‘Old City’ that are prime for urban and tourist redevelopment; -Cannabis tourists from Germany and Belgium can no longer readily purchase cannabis at nearby cross border cannabis-selling cafes or in the center of Maastricht; -The Dutch still have the best, most effective and humane cannabis policy in the world.   What suggestions do I have to support this cause? To keep in mind conserving energy, prevent further global warming, and creating jobs, why not let it be grown locally? Let the citizens apply to be growers, not only will the government have a lucrative commodity, we eliminate the deficit and the need to transport the product, not to mention, give people a livelihood! Let’s keep it local, like the farmers markets!

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