Wietpas dangerous to public health

The membership card for coffee shops (wietpas) is a hot topic in the Netherlands for some time now. Coffeeshop holders protested two days ago at Pieter Vredeplein against the wietpas. The Network for Addiction Novadic Kentron is clear: wietpas is a danger to public health.

The Novadic Kentron spokesman said that the wietpas is a threat to public health. The majority of cannabis users will buy the drug on on the streets now. Thus, neither the quality of the weed can be controlled, nor the age of the user. He also warns against the mixing of cannabis with hard drugs, which is now impossible to check.

Coffeeshop owners complain about discrimination and eighty percent less turnover. The Dutch criminal scene flourishes now in the weed trade, since drug dealers often offer a cheaper and more available weed.

Gerard Spong in his new book is seeking legal obstacles in the Dutch tolerance policy: officially the Netherlands tolerates the sale of soft drugs, at the same time closing the eyes of the municipalities, police and judiciary. Spong even calls the wietpas illegal: the government working this way participates in the purchase of drugs, and that is a criminal offense.

D66 is the party who supports the legalization of all drugs. The coffeeshop owners protesting at Peter Vredeplein supported the Socialist Party, Labour Party, D66, GL, Party for the Animals and the Pirate Party for a good weed policy.