Stay Informed

Sign up for news & alerts

Already signed up?
Login here

take action
For every $1 states spend dollar sign on substance misuse and addiction, 94 cents go to shovel up the consequences instead of for treatment and prevention. TELL YOUR LEGISLATORS

What Can I Do?



Continuing Education
Free online courses for addiction counselors LEARN ONLINE

Get Help
Need alcohol or drug help for yourself or someone else? GET HELP

 
Dutch Smoking Ban Applies to Tobacco, Not Marijuana
June 20, 2008

Share Share Email
Email
Print
Print
SubscribeSubscribe
News Summary

You can still light up in a Dutch cafe after July 1, but only if you're smoking marijuana, not tobacco.

Bloomberg reported June 20 that the Netherlands' new indoor-smoking ban allows patrons to smoke inside marijuana "coffee shops" as long as the joint is pure cannabis. But cutting joints with tobacco will be illegal.

Tobacco smoking also will be banned in other public places except in separate, unstaffed rooms.

"Every customer will have to learn how to smoke pure,'' said Robert Kempen, co-owner of The NooN and Mellow Yellow Amsterdam coffee shops.

"Sales will definitely fall," said Rida Oulad, a coffee-shop employee. "Why would you go to a coffee shop where you can't smoke and the only remaining activities are sitting and watching television?"

COMMENTS ON THIS ARTICLE:
(Comments now appear first to last)

Posted by Dee Zenk, Health Educator on 24 Jun 08 05:58 PM EDT
Regardless of our personal views in this country on marijuana; why would this be allowed when we know that marijuana has 50% more carcinogens than tobacco and is just as likely to cause mouth or lung cancer?

Posted by treedesigner on 09 Jul 08 08:09 PM EDT
Since this article didn't mention vaporizers, I wanted to mention that the developing technology now promises to permit a relatively safe use of tobacco, cannabis or any herb, without carbon monoxide and other smoking toxins, and conceivably "smoking bans" would be a dead letter. But there are hurdles to surmount: l. The NORML-endorsed Volcano Vaporizer costs $600. Read the instruction booklet carefully to make sure you don't void your guarantee by some operational mistake leading to a breakdown. 2. Vaporizer Service Centers Most persons, especially youngsters, don't have a means of trying out vaporizers and making a good choice which one to buy. "You touched it, you bought it." There needs to be a Vaporizer Clinic (where you can take your machine to get it fixed) or a Vaporizer Cafe, where for a nominal cost you can try out herbs and vaporizers and get knowledgeable before risking your money on a purchase. 3. For those who think they can't afford a vaporizer: make yourself a single-toke utensil (one-hitter) with a 6 mm(1/4") crater diameter, a 40-mesh crater screen, and a long cooling drawtube. (Serve 25-mg. tokes; suck slow to burn at low temperature.)

Your Turn! Post a public comment (guidelines):

Name:

Comment:
(limit 250
words)
Enter this word
(help):		 Change

GUIDELINES: 
To keep this feature useful for everyone, please:

  1. Keep it clean, courteous, brief, and on-topic. Comments are for discussion of the above article, not general rants or manifestos. Serial comments intended to circumvent the 250-word limit may be deleted.

  2. Do not post promotional web links, personal information or requests for assistance (get help).

  3. Proof your comments carefully, use good spelling and punctuation, and don't use ALL CAPS. Comments are published immediately and cannot be edited.

Deceptive, slanderous and commercial posts are prohibited. We reserve the right to remove comments. (Report a comment).

Have questions or feedback? Contact us.