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the dutch dont want tourists anymore

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24

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    #32
    Wompa1
    Registered Users Posts: 8,170 ✭✭✭Wompa1


    Seachmall wrote: »
    Obama made it very clear from early on he was in no way interested in legalizing cannabis.

    Gateway drug? Really?

    I don't believe it's a gateway drug right now....I think if someone is dumb enough to do coke or heroin or whatever, they are going to do it. Natural selection and all that.

    I'm saying if you restrict it do be too weak when legalized people will move onto find a stronger drug...you disagree?


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    #33
    onlyrocknroll
    Registered Users Posts: 750 ✭✭✭onlyrocknroll


    Actually it's a good point.

    It's just like the Parisian culture of drinking absinthe in cafes, for which it was a famous tourist destination.

    When the French banned absinthe in the early twentieth century, it completely destroyed the tourism industry in Paris for ever.

    Didn't it...?


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    #34
    ArmaniJeanss
    Registered Users Posts: 13,327 ✭✭✭✭ArmaniJeanss


    onlyrocknroll wrote: »
    Actually it's a good point.

    It's just like the Parisian culture of drinking absinthe in cafes, for which it was a famous tourist destination.

    When the French banned absinthe in the early twentieth century, it completely destroyed the tourism industry in Paris for ever.

    Didn't it...?


    Amsterdam is not Paris.

    Amsterdam has little to lend itself to tourism othan than its coffee shops, and liberalism in other matters.
    A few nice museums and decent architecture, but realistically nothing to seperate it from a dozen identical cities in Belgium and Germany.


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    #35
    Seachmall
    Registered Users Posts: 7,041 ✭✭✭Seachmall


    Wompa1 wrote: »
    I'm saying if you restrict it do be too weak when legalized people will move onto find a stronger drug...you disagree?

    If you restrict it to be too weak people will get the weed they like from the same place they currently do. That does not lead to other drugs for the vast majority of people.

    HovaBaby also directly referred to other countries that are allowing personal cultivation, which would not, or could not, allow restrictions on potency.

    The US has a culture of 0 tolerance, or at least the Government does, and cannot be seen to shift from that. We would base our policies off of other EU countries, not the US.


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    #36
    onlyrocknroll
    Registered Users Posts: 750 ✭✭✭onlyrocknroll


    ArmaniJeanss wrote: »
    Amsterdam is not Paris.

    Amsterdam has little to lend itself to tourism othan than its coffee shops, and liberalism in other matters.
    A few nice museums and decent architecture, but realistically nothing to seperate it from a dozen identical cities in Belgium and Germany.

    ....which have huge bustling tourism industries. :confused:

    Ever been to Bruge for instance, about a tenth of the size of Amsterdam, has far less to offer culturally, and is one of the most visited cities in the world.

    Far more people travel for culture and architecture than they do for access to legal drugs, it supports the tourism industry in most European cities.

    And btw Amsterdam is a very beautiful city, I've been many times, and I will return despite this rule.


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    #37
    mikom
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,391 ✭✭✭✭mikom


    Wompa1 wrote: »

    I'm saying if you restrict it do be too weak when legalized people will move onto find a stronger drug...you disagree?

    Like the way beer drinkers move on to poitin............. yeah.
    Have you moved on to poitin yet Wompa1?


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    #38
    ScumLord
    Registered Users Posts: 28,789 ✭✭✭✭ScumLord


    Wompa1 wrote: »
    I'm saying if you restrict it do be too weak when legalized people will move onto find a stronger drug...you disagree?
    It will be hard to control the strength of weed, once you get to a legalised system as they have in California the quality will go up measurably. The Californian scene has more in common with wine or gourmet food, people buy weed for specific tastes and effects. The weed is clearly labelled with THC and CBD content. People generally don't just buy the strongest weed, they buy small amounts of different varieties.


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    #39
    Wompa1
    Registered Users Posts: 8,170 ✭✭✭Wompa1


    mikom wrote: »
    Like the way beer drinkers move on to poitin............. yeah.
    Have you moved on to poitin yet Wompa1?

    nah, Vodka and Whiskey. Sometimes if I'm looking to get pretty drunk I might drink a bottle of Buckfast at the start of the night rather than beer or get a beer with more that 5%...


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    #40
    Stiffler2
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,536 ✭✭✭Stiffler2


    They've been saying this for years, it won't happen.


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    #41
    HovaBaby
    Closed Accounts Posts: 301 ✭✭HovaBaby


    I've been to Amsterdamn myself twice (2006 and 2008), each time I headed over by myself. I admit the legal cannabis played a part, but I visited the Van Gogh museum each time and other attractions. I walked around the place, even through the red light district but I didn't visit a prostitute. Never touched a drink either.

    I enjoyed the city very much, I took pictures of the architecture and used the underground train for the novelty of it. I also deliberately took a bus from Amsterdam to London (where I flew back from Heathrow) so I could get a view of the dutch countryside.


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    #42
    Liamario
    Registered Users Posts: 2,094 ✭✭✭Liamario


    Do people realise that to legalise it in this country would be the worst decision ever. This country has a problem and it's the inability to consume things in moderation. Alcohol and cigarettes for example.
    What do you think will happen if cannabis is legalised in this country?!?!?


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    #43
    mikom
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,391 ✭✭✭✭mikom


    Wompa1 wrote: »
    nah, Vodka and Whiskey. Sometimes if I'm looking to get pretty drunk I might drink a bottle of Buckfast at the start of the night rather than beer or get a beer with more that 5%...

    Worrying.

    Liamario wrote: »
    Do people realise that to legalise it in this country would be the worst decision ever. This country has a problem and it's the inability to consume things in moderation. Alcohol and cigarettes for example.
    What do you think will happen if cannabis is legalised in this country?!?!?

    Yeah remember how the country collapsed when the laws on pornography and condoms were slackened off.
    Ridin' in the streets......
    No moderation......... spunk everywhere.


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    #44
    HovaBaby
    Closed Accounts Posts: 301 ✭✭HovaBaby


    Liamario wrote: »
    Do people realise that to legalise it in this country would be the worst decision ever. This country has a problem and it's the inability to consume things in moderation. Alcohol and cigarettes for example.
    What do you think will happen if cannabis is legalised in this country?!?!?

    Well the situation won't be any worse than it is with alcohol legal IMO.


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    #45
    Nothingbetter2d
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,037 ✭✭✭Nothingbetter2d


    teddansonswig wrote: »
    It seams the end has come for holidays in Holland. And with that, my faith in the European project (if the euro wasn't enough). anyone else think its pressure from other Euro country's to conform? Not Portugal obviously.

    prohibition = failure.


    http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/1215/breaking52.html

    lol legalise it & tax it here and watch our tourism increase :)


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    #46
    HovaBaby
    Closed Accounts Posts: 301 ✭✭HovaBaby


    Nothingbetter2d wrote: »
    lol legalise it & tax it here and watch our tourism increase :)

    Yes, legalize it as in the model of Spain and Switzerland. ie allow people to cultivate their own without fear of conviction. Legalizing it doesn't mean having to put up 5 coffee shops on O' Connell street.


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    #47
    Seachmall
    Registered Users Posts: 7,041 ✭✭✭Seachmall


    Liamario wrote: »
    Do people realise that to legalise it in this country would be the worst decision ever. This country has a problem and it's the inability to consume things in moderation. Alcohol and cigarettes for example.

    The difference is even extreme use of cannabis is far less dangerous than those mentioned, posing no overdose risks and little, if any, long term negative health effects.

    There's also a huge flaw in the idea that if it's legalized there would be a massive jump in the number of users. There may be a small jump but you would not see people on every corner smoking joints as some seem to believe. It may even drop; both Netherlands and Portugal (who have decriminalization laws regarding it) have lower rates of cannabis smokers than Ireland.


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    #48
    Liamario
    Registered Users Posts: 2,094 ✭✭✭Liamario


    mikom wrote: »
    Yeah remember how the country collapsed when the laws on pornography and condoms were slackened off.
    Ridin' in the streets......
    No moderation......... spunk everywhere.

    Don't be silly, you're comparing chalk to cheese. The last thing this country needs is more substances to get ****ed up on.


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    #49
    RobbieTheRobber
    Registered Users Posts: 6,779 ✭✭✭RobbieTheRobber


    Wompa1 wrote: »
    I don't believe it's a gateway drug right now....I think if someone is dumb enough to do coke or heroin or whatever, they are going to do it. Natural selection and all that.

    I'm saying if you restrict it do be too weak when legalized people will move onto find a stronger drug...you disagree?

    Im saying most people who take drugs drank milk as children therefore the answer is to ban milk :rolleyes:


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    #50
    ArmaniJeanss
    Registered Users Posts: 13,327 ✭✭✭✭ArmaniJeanss


    onlyrocknroll wrote: »
    Ever been to Bruge for instance, about a tenth of the size of Amsterdam, has far less to offer culturally, and is one of the most visited cities in the world.

    I was surprised by this so had a look at various lists of most visited cities and am struggling to see Bruges on any Top 100 in the world lists, let alone be 'one of the most visited cities in the world'.

    e.g.
    http://www.joejourneys.com/journals/Joe_Journeys/Blog/Entries/2010/4/3_TOP_100_MOST_VISITED_CITIES_-_2009.html


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    #51
    eleven1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 44 ✭eleven1


    i think i heard about this few years ago , i guess now it is becoming a reality , also i think they closing down the red districts of Amsterdam , i'm not sure who is behind these decisions , the Dutch government or Brussels . but it sounds like a major change to Amsterdam's image , these 2 reasons were the backbone of tourism in this city , let's wait and see how is this going to affect it now .


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    #52
    mikom
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,391 ✭✭✭✭mikom


    HovaBaby wrote: »
    Yes, legalize it as in the model of Spain and Switzerland. ie allow people to cultivate their own without fear of conviction. Legalizing it doesn't mean having to put up 5 coffee shops on O' Connell street.

    Not forgetting Belgium where the possession of one female plant is tolerated.


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    #53
    Liamario
    Registered Users Posts: 2,094 ✭✭✭Liamario


    Seachmall wrote: »
    The difference is even extreme use of cannabis is far less dangerous than those mentioned, posing no overdose risks and little, if any, long term negative health effects.

    There's also a huge flaw in the idea that if it's legalized there would be a massive jump in the number of users. There may be a small jump but you would not see people on every corner smoking joints as some seem to believe. It may even drop; both Netherlands and Portugal (who have decriminalization laws regarding it) have lower rates of cannabis smokers than Ireland.

    You're using consumption stats from other countries and other cultures. Ireland is not the Netherlands nor Portugal, this I don't think these stats would be reflective of what would happen in Ireland.
    Also, we are trying to get people to give up smoking; wouldn't legalising cannabis be counter productive?


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    #54
    RobbieTheRobber
    Registered Users Posts: 6,779 ✭✭✭RobbieTheRobber


    Liamario wrote: »
    Do people realise that to legalise it in this country would be the worst decision ever. This country has a problem and it's the inability to consume things in moderation. Alcohol and cigarettes for example.
    What do you think will happen if cannabis is legalised in this country?!?!?

    I think what would happen is; well nothing that doesnt happen already!


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    #55
    mikom
    Closed Accounts Posts: 16,391 ✭✭✭✭mikom


    Liamario wrote: »
    Don't be silly, you're comparing chalk to cheese. The last thing this country needs is more substances to get ****ed up on.

    Like endorphins and oxytocin released during sex?
    Liamario wrote: »
    Also, we are trying to get people to give up smoking; wouldn't legalising cannabis be counter productive?

    Who the hell smokes anymore.
    Vaporisation all the way........... no combustion.


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    #56
    RobbieTheRobber
    Registered Users Posts: 6,779 ✭✭✭RobbieTheRobber


    Liamario wrote: »
    You're using consumption stats from other countries and other cultures. Ireland is not the Netherlands nor Portugal, this I don't think these stats would be reflective of what would happen in Ireland.
    Also, we are trying to get people to give up smoking; wouldn't legalising cannabis be counter productive?

    Cannabis doesnt have to be smoked!

    We are also trying to stop people drinking so I assume you will be joinging the bandwagon calling for that to be made illegal?


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    #57
    Seachmall
    Registered Users Posts: 7,041 ✭✭✭Seachmall


    Liamario wrote: »
    You're using consumption stats from other countries and other cultures. Ireland is not the Netherlands nor Portugal, this I don't think these stats would be reflective of what would happen in Ireland.
    Perhaps not, but any comparisons are better than assumptions alone.
    Also, we are trying to get people to give up smoking; wouldn't legalising cannabis be counter productive?
    We're trying to get people to give up tobacco, how would legalizing cannabis be counter-productive to that?


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    #58
    Liamario
    Registered Users Posts: 2,094 ✭✭✭Liamario


    Seachmall wrote: »
    Perhaps not, but any comparisons are better than assumptions alone.
    Well I making comparisons. This country has shameful stats when it comes to tobacco and alcohol consumption.
    Seachmall wrote: »
    We're trying to get people to give up tobacco, how would legalizing cannabis be counter-productive to that?
    Well obviously one of the main ways that cannabis is consumed is through smoking; which normally contains tobacco in the joint as well.


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    #59
    HovaBaby
    Closed Accounts Posts: 301 ✭✭HovaBaby


    If cannabis was legal here and it was priced similarly to other countries, people could afford to smoke it whole without to tobacco. I know a fella from London and he said the weed costs 2 times as much over here.


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    #60
    I am pie
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,652 ✭✭✭I am pie


    The stag do trade is not something i would miss if i lived in Amsterdam !

    Probably closing the red light district would reduce the numbers even further. Would prefer that to happen first rather than closing coffee shops.


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    #61
    Liamario
    Registered Users Posts: 2,094 ✭✭✭Liamario


    The only way I could accept its legalisation is it was available on prescription only. Not necessarily for health reasons, but for the purpose of ensuring that it's consumed in moderation. I don't trust this population to use it appropriately to be honest.


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