Netherlands Headlines | Netherlands: Cannabis Pair Smokin' It Overseas With Netherlands: Column: Reefer Sadness Netherlands: The Netherlands Rethinks Sex And Drugs Netherlands: Pressure To Reform Dutch Drug Laws As Gang Netherlands: Cannabis-Catching Chopper in the Netherlands URL: http://mapinc.org/area/Netherlands

Centre for Drug Research, University of Amsterdam | CEDRO combines epidemiological and longitudinal research on illicit drugs, addiction theory, and drug policy developments in Europe. Articles in English, Dutch, French, German, Italian and Russian. Features: Policy, Publications, Search Engine, History, Research, Mailing List(s), News; URL: http://www.cedro-uva.org/

Drugs Forum | Drugs forum - All about recreational drugs - marijuana, magic mushrooms, lsd, cocaine, legal high, chemical psychedelics and more Features: Search Engine, Research, Forum URL: http://www.drugs-forum.com/

Ibogaine - Rite of Passage | This 50 minute documentary shows the different aspects of this special substance by means of personal experiences and explanations of ex-addicts, treatment providers and experts. Features: Audio/Video, Mailing List(s) URL: http://www.ibogainefilm.com/

THC Ministry | The THC Ministry is based on ancient wisdom, modern science & the enlightening & healing properties of cannabis sacrament. Our mission includes liberating the cannabis hemp plant & the minds of those who do & of those who do not revere it. May we all enjoy the rich, abundant & awakened life that is part of our Divine inheritance. Features: Commentary, Policy, Publications, Press Releases, History, Membership, Research, Speakers, Forum, News URL: http://www.thc-ministry.net/

www.recreationaldrugs.startbewijs.nl | Startbewijs.nl - Maak je eigen startpagina zowel persoonsgebonden of over een onderwerp. Features: Search Engine URL: http://www.recreationaldrugs.startbewijs.nl/

... More | As we learn about them. In the meantime ... Visit: http://www.mapinc.org/dpr.htm

Medical Cannabis in the Netherlands. | A change of the Dutch law on controlled substances (Opium Act) took effect on 17 March 2003. It includes regulations for applications regarding the cultivation of cannabis for medicinal purposes and guidelines for cultivating cannabis. Applications for an Opium Act exemption regarding cannabis will be handled by the Office of Medicinal Cannabis (BMC) of the Health Ministry. All cannabis cultivated by applicants has to be sold to the BMC. According to the regulations for opium act licences the task of the BMC is two-fold: "On the one hand, BMC must research or arrange for research regarding whether cannabis or cannabis products may be used as medicines; on the other hand, BMC must provide pharmacies in the course of 2003 with medicinal cannabis, so that patients can obtain this with a doctor's prescription."

The guidelines for cannabis cultivation have been derived from the general rules for Good Agricultural Practice of the Working Group on Herbal Medicinal Products of the European Medicines Evaluation Agency (EMEA). They describe requirements for cultivation, harvesting and primary processing, ensuring that the cannabis is produced under conditions that ensure that the therapeutic properties of the end product are constant and reproducible. An application form for an Opium Act exemption regarding cannabis may be obtained from the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, Office of Medicinal Cannabis, The Hague. ... Visit: http://www.cannabis-med.org/dutch/Regulations.htm

Drug policy of the Netherlands From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia | In the Netherlands, the national drug policy officially has four major objectives: To prevent drug use and to treat and rehabilitate drug users. To reduce harm to users. To diminish public nuisance by drug users (the disturbance of public order and safety in the neighborhood). To combat the production and trafficking of drugs.[1] Most policymakers in the Netherlands believe that if a problem has proved to be unsolvable, it is better to try controlling it instead of continuing to enforce laws with mixed results. By contrast, most other countries take the point of view that drugs are detrimental to society and must therefore be outlawed, even when such policies fail to eliminate drug use. This has caused friction between the Netherlands and other countries about the policy for cannabis, most notably with France and Germany.

As of 2004, Belgium seems to be moving toward the Dutch model and a few local German legislators are calling for experiments based on the Dutch model. Switzerland has had long and heated parliamentary debates about whether to follow the Dutch model, most recently deciding against it in 2004; currently a ballot initiative is in the works on the question. In the last few years certain strains of cannabis with higher concentrations of THC and drug tourism have challenged the current policy and led to a re-examination of the current approach.[2] Netherlands has a high anti-drug related public expenditure, the second highest drug related public expenditure per capita of all countries in EU (after Sweden). 75% is law enforcement expenditures including police, army, law courts, prisons, customs and finance guards. 25% is health and social care expenditures including treatment, harm reduction, health research and educational including prevention and social affairs interventions.[3][4] The higher levels of the active ingredient in cannabis in Netherlands ... Medical cannabis ? Arguments for and against drug prohibition ? Designer drug ... ... Visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_policy_of_the_Netherlands

Netherlands Legalizes Medical Marijuana - By Kevin Nelson, AlterNet. Posted March 24, 2003. | This week, the Netherlands legalizes medical marijuana for distribution in pharmacies; Maryland legislature votes to fine medical marijuana users rather than jailing them; Afghanistan warns it may slip back into the heroin producing capital of the world; and Peruvian coca farming increases with cutbacks in Colombian coca production.

March 17 -- Associated Press reports: Pharmacies may fill prescriptions for marijuana and patients can get the cost covered by insurance, according to a law that went into effect Monday. Doctors in the famously liberal Netherlands have long recommended marijuana to cancer patients as an appetite enhancer and to combat pain and nausea. But it is usually bought at one of the country's 800 "coffee shops," where the plant is sold openly while police look the other way. "The health minister said, look, doctors are prescribing marijuana to their patients anyway, and there are many medicinal users, so we may as well regulate it," said Bas Kuik, a spokesman for the Dutch Ministry of Health.

The Dutch government's stance is in stark contrast to U.S. federal law, which says growers of marijuana for medicinal purposes face the same prison terms that recreational growers do. Recent studies show a fractional increase in the number of people in the Netherlands who say they have tried marijuana, while overall use levels remain well below those in the United States, despite its widespread availability here.

March 19 -- The Baltimore Sun reports: The Maryland House of Delegates approved a bill yesterday that would lessen the penalty for sick people found with marijuana if they can prove they possessed it for medical reasons. In a 73-62 vote, the House passed what is called a "defense bill." The measure doesn't make marijuana legal for those who say they need it, but it allows a judge to impose just a $100 fine if it is shown the drug is a medical necessity. ... Visit: http://www.alternet.org/drugreporter/15459/netherlands_legalizes_medical_marijuana/

SIMM | SIMM (Stichting Institute of Medical Marijuana) was launched in The Netherlands in 1993. Our purpose...To produce and supply patients with high quality medical cannabis, at the lowest possible price; organically grown in soil in a clean environment, and properly handled throughout the growing/curing process.

SIMM distributed cannabis to patients, pharmacists, hospitals, researchers and others during its early years. It also served as a resource center for questions dealing with the use of cannabis as medicine. This was particularly useful for health care professionals (doctors, nurses) who were looking for a reliable source of information for their patients. SIMM was proud to receive the first license issued by a government agency for production of medical cannabis starting material for delivery to pharmacies. This was the first license of this type issued anywhere in the world. ... Visit: http://www.medicalmarijuana.org/

Salon.com on Maine Medical Marijuana, Netherlands Drug Policy 3/31/00 | Earlier this week, the online magazine salon.com interviewed Mark Dion, a Cumberland County, Maine sheriff who is supporting marijuana distribution by the state drug enforcement agency to medical marijuana patients, in the wake of the state's successful medical marijuana ballot initiative. See http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2000/03/27/sheriff/ to read it. A 3/13 Salon article discussed "the Netherlands' drug policy of tolerance and ambiguity." Read the article at http://www.salon.com/health/feature/2000/03/13/dutch_drugs/ in the Salon archive. ... Visit: http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle-old/131/salon.shtml

Medical Cannabis: Netherlands - Druginfo is the official NSW Government website on drug issues. | Medical Cannabis: Netherlands - Office of Medicinal Cannabis Explains the goals of this Office. Bedrocan BV Medicinal Cannabis (Netherlands) Bedrocan BV is contracted by the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport for the growth and production of medicinal Cannabis. Council for Education in World Citizenship Northern Ireland (CEWC-NI) Legal Medicinal Cannabis: Collapse of a Joint Enterprise in Holland. Summary of activities in the Netherlands. Aug 2004 Dutch measures to control medical grade marijuana: facilitating clinical trials From Vol 35 Drug Information Journal 481 by W.K. Scholten. 2001 Medical Cannabis in the Netherlands. A change of the Dutch law on controlled substances (Opium Act) took effect on 17 March 2003. It includes regulations for applications regarding the cultivation of cannabis for medicinal purposes and guidelines for cultivating cannabis. The laws and regulations relating to this change can be downloaded from here. Pharmo Institute. Summary of the PHARMO Report: Medicinal cannabis in the Netherlands. April 2004 ... Visit: http://www.druginfo.nsw.gov.au/medicinal_use_of_cannabis/medicinal_cannabis_netherlands

ASA » Medical Info » History of Medical Cannabis History of Medical Cannabis Cannabis was a part of the American pharmacopoeia until 1942 and is currently available by prescription in the Netherlands, Canada, Spain, and Italy in its whole plant form. In 1937, the U.S. passed the first federal law against cannabis, despite the objections of the American Medical Association (AMA). Dr. William C. Woodward, testifying on behalf of the AMA, told Congress that, "The American Medical Association knows of no evidence that marijuana is a dangerous drug" and warned that a prohibition "loses sight of the fact that future investigation may show that there are substantial medical uses for Cannabis." ... Visit: http://www.safeaccessnow.org/section.php?id=175

Organizations Supporting Access to Therapeutic Cannabis As Compiled by Patients Out of Time National Council on Drug Abuse, Jamaica - 2001 Preventive Medical Center, Netherlands - 1993 Schmerztherapeutisches Kolloquium (Society for Pain Therapists) Germany - 1998 Stichting Institute of Medical Marijuana, Netherlands - 1993 United Church of Jamaica and Cayman Islands – 2000 ... Visit: http://www.medicalcannabis.com/Grouplist.htm

Home > News Archive > 2003 > New Dutch Regulations To License Prescription Pot Growers, Will Allow Pharmacies To Stock Medical Cannabis - February 6, 2003 | The Hague, the Netherlands: Pending changes in Dutch law will allow federal health officials to license medicinal marijuana cultivators, and permit pharmacies to provide prescription-grade cannabis for medical use. The new regulations, which were first announced last April, are expected to be enacted by March 17, 2003, according to a spokesman from the Dutch Ministry of Health.

Licensing will be overseen by the Netherlands’ Office of Medicinal Cannabis (BMC) of the Health Ministry, which was established in 2000 to study and regulate the use of medical marijuana. All of the marijuana grown by state-licensed cultivators will be sold to the Office and eventually provided to Dutch pharmacies. Patients who possess a doctor’s prescription to use medicinal cannabis will be able to obtain marijuana at the pharmacies, just as they would any other prescription drug. Once implemented, the Netherlands will be the first nation in the world to regulate and distribute medical cannabis in pharmacies. Similar regulations enacted in Canada 2001 allow for the state to distribute medical marijuana to qualified patients, but to date Health Canada has not allowed any of its harvested cannabis to be available to the public. ... Visit: http://www.norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=5549

cannabisnews.com: Medical Marijuana Sold in the Netherlands Posted by CN Staff on September 01, 2003 By Anthony Deutsch, Associated Press Writer | Amsterdam, Netherlands -- Marijuana went on sale Monday at Dutch pharmacies to help bring relief to thousands of patients suffering from cancer, AIDS or multiple sclerosis. Around 7,000 patients will be eligible for prescription marijuana, sold in containers of .16 ounces at most pharmacies. Labeled "Cannabis" and tested by the Ministry of Health, the drug will be covered by health insurance for the first time under a new law that went into effect in March. Canada, Germany and Australia already allow restricted use of medicinal marijuana or its active chemical, but the Dutch go a step further by providing the drug and regulating its quality. In the United States, 14 states allow medicinal use despite a federal ban on the drug.

Dutch patients will be recommended not to smoke the plant, but to use vaporizers or make marijuana tea. It will be prescribed to those suffering from nausea or pain associated with cancer, Tourette's syndrome, AIDS or multiple sclerosis. Two varieties will offer a lower or higher content of Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, the active chemical in marijuana. It will cost $48 for the milder variant, with a THC content of 15 percent, and $60 for an 18 percent version. ... Visit: http://cannabisnews.com/news/17/thread17201.shtml

ASA : Medical Info | Medical cannabis (medical marijuana) relieves symptoms of HIV/AIDS, Multiple ... by prescription in the Netherlands, Canada, Spain, and Italy in its whole plant form. ...

Medical Cannabis Research | In response to the spurious and misleading claims by the U.S Federal Government suggesting that cannabis has "no accepted medical value" Americans for Safe Access has collected some of the most relevant international research into cannabinoids and the therapeutic use of cannabis. This research includes peer-reviewed and published studies, as well as some of the most extensive government examinations into cannabis safety and its potential as a therapeutic agent.

Educational Booklets on Medical Marijuana and Specific Medical Conditions | We have produced a number of highly informative booklets on the use of cannabis to treat specific conditions. You can download free PDFs of booklets on HIV/AIDS, Multiple Sclerosis, Aging, Arthritis, Gastro-Intestinal Disorders, Movement Disorders, Cancer and Chronic Pain. To order booklets, please contact info@safeaccessnow.org.

Medical Cannabis Endorsements | Safe access to cannabis for patients and research has been endorsed by a growing number of professional healthcare organizations, including the American Public Health Association, the American Nurses Association, and most recently, the Medical Student Section of the American Medical Association.

Tips for Medical Marijuana Patients | Information on finding a doctor, growing and using marijuana, and staying safe and legal.

Join A Patients Union! | ASA is working with patients to form Medical Marijuana Patients Unions based on shared diagnosis. Condition-based groups are now forming across the U.S. Patients Unions are a support network for patients and caregivers fighting for the use of marijuana as medicine as well as a vehicle for lobbying and public education.

Medical and Scientific Advisory Board | Americans for Safe Access is pleased to announce the formation of our Medical and Scientific Advisory Board. Comprised of leading medical and scientific experts, the Advisory Board will help ASA outreach to important medical, scientific, and condition-based organizations in an effort to promote better access to cannabis for therapeutic uses and research.

History of Medical Cannabis Cannabis was a part of the American pharmacopoeia until 1942 and is currently available by prescription in the Netherlands, Canada, Spain, and Italy in its whole plant form. ... Visit: http://www.safeaccessnow.org/section.php?id=125

Myths and Facts About Marijuana | This collection of myths and facts is based on the book Marijuana Myths, Marijuana Facts: A Review of the Scientific Evidence . A decade after the book was published, the latest scientific evidence continues to support the original findings. Top Five Marijuana Myths; Marijuana Can Cause Permanent Mental Illness, Marijuana Is Highly Addictive, Marijuana Is More Potent Today Than In The Past, Marijuana Offenses Are Not Severely Punished, Marijuana Is More Damaging to the Lungs Than Tobacco.

Myth: Marijuana Can Cause Permanent Mental Illness. Among adolescents, even occasional marijuana use may cause psychological damage. During intoxication, marijuana users become irrational and often behave erratically.

Fact: There is no convincing scientific evidence that marijuana causes psychological damage or mental illness in either teenagers or adults. Some marijuana users experience psychological distress following marijuana ingestion, which may include feelings of panic, anxiety, and paranoia. Such experiences can be frightening, but the effects are temporary. With very large doses, marijuana can cause temporary toxic psychosis. This occurs rarely, and almost always when marijuana is eaten rather than smoked. Marijuana does not cause profound changes in people's behavior.

Myth: Marijuana is Highly Addictive. Long term marijuana users experience physical dependence and withdrawal, and often need professional drug treatment to break their marijuana habits.

Fact: Most people who smoke marijuana smoke it only occasionally. A small minority of Americans - less than 1 percent - smoke marijuana on a daily basis. An even smaller minority develop a dependence on marijuana. Some people who smoke marijuana heavily and frequently stop without difficulty. Others seek help from drug treatment professionals. Marijuana does not cause physical dependence. If people experience withdrawal symptoms at all, they are remarkably mild.

Myth: Marijuana Is More Potent Today Than In The Past. Adults who used marijuana in the 1960s and 1970s fail to realize that when today's youth use marijuana they are using a much more dangerous drug.

Fact: When today's youth use marijuana, they are using the same drug used by youth in the 1960s and 1970s. A small number of low-THC samples seized by the Drug Enforcement Administration are used to calculate a dramatic increase in potency. However, these samples were not representative of the marijuana generally available to users during this era. Potency data from the early 1980s to the present are more reliable, and they show no increase in the average THC content of marijuana. Even if marijuana potency were to increase, it would not necessarily make the drug more dangerous. Marijuana that varies quite substantially in potency produces similar psychoactive effects.

Myth: Marijuana Offenses Are Not Severely Punished. Few marijuana law violators are arrested and hardly anyone goes to prison. This lenient treatment is responsible for marijuana continued availability and use.

Fact: Marijuana arrests in the United States doubled between 1991 and 1995. In 1995, more than one-half-million people were arrested for marijuana offenses. Eighty-six percent of them were arrested for marijuana possession. Tens of thousands of people are now in prison or marijuana offenses. An even greater number are punished with probation, fines, and civil sanctions, including having their property seized, their driver's license revoked, and their employment terminated. Despite these civil and criminal sanctions, marijuana continues to be readily available and widely used.

Myth: Marijuana is More Damaging to the Lungs Than Tobacco. Marijuana smokers are at a high risk of developing lung cancer, bronchitis, and emphysema.

Fact: Moderate smoking of marijuana appears to pose minimal danger to the lungs. Like tobacco smoke, marijuana smoke contains a number of irritants and carcinogens. But marijuana users typically smoke much less often than tobacco smokers, and over time, inhale much less smoke. As a result, the risk of serious lung damage should be lower in marijuana smokers. There have been no reports of lung cancer related solely to marijuana, and in a large study presented to the American Thoracic Society in 2006, even heavy users of smoked marijuana were found not to have any increased risk of lung cancer. Unlike heavy tobacco smokers, heavy marijuana smokers exhibit no obstruction of the lung's small airway. That indicates that people will not develop emphysema from smoking marijuana.

More Marijuana Myths; Marijuana Has No Medicinal Value, ; Marijuana Is a Gateway Drug, Marijuana's Harms Have Been Proved Scientifically, Marijuana Causes an Amotivational Syndrome, Marijuana Policy in the Netherlands is a Failure, Marijuana Kills Brain Cells, Marijuana Impairs Memory and Cognition, Marijuana Causes Crime, Marijuana Interferes With Male and Female Sex Hormones, Marijuana Use During Pregnancy Damages the Fetus, Marijuana Use Impairs the Immune System; Marijuana's Active Ingredient, THC, Gets Trapped in Body Fat Marijuana Use is a Major Cause Of Highway Accidents; Marijuana Related Hospital Emergencies Are Increasing, Particularly Among Youth; Marijuana Use Can Be Prevented ...

Myth: Marijuana Has No Medicinal Value. Safer, more effective drugs are available. They include a synthetic version of THC, marijuana's primary active ingredient, which is marketed in the United States under the name Marinol.

Fact: Marijuana has been shown to be effective in reducing the nausea induced by cancer chemotherapy, stimulating appetite in AIDS patients, and reducing intraocular pressure in people with glaucoma. There is also appreciable evidence that marijuana reduces muscle spasticity in patients with neurological disorders. A synthetic capsule is available by prescription, but it is not as effective as smoked marijuana for many patients. Pure THC may also produce more unpleasant psychoactive side effects than smoked marijuana. Many people use marijuana as a medicine today, despite its illegality. In doing so, they risk arrest and imprisonment.

Myth: Marijuana is a Gateway Drug. Even if marijuana itself causes minimal harm, it is a dangerous substance because it leads to the use of "harder drugs" like heroin, LSD, and cocaine.

Fact: Marijuana does not cause people to use hard drugs. What the gateway theory presents as a causal explanation is a statistic association between common and uncommon drugs, an association that changes over time as different drugs increase and decrease in prevalence. Marijuana is the most popular illegal drug in the United States today. Therefore, people who have used less popular drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and LSD, are likely to have also used marijuana. Most marijuana users never use any other illegal drug. Indeed, for the large majority of people, marijuana is a terminus rather than a gateway drug. Morral, Andrew R.; McCaffrey, Daniel F. and Susan M. Paddock. “Reassessing the marijuana gateway effect.” Addiction 97.12 (2002): 1493-504.

Myth: Marijuana's Harms Have Been Proved Scientifically. In the 1960s and 1970s, many people believed that marijuana was harmless. Today we know that marijuana is much more dangerous than previously believed.

Fact: In 1972, after reviewing the scientific evidence, the National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse concluded that while marijuana was not entirely safe, its dangers had been grossly overstated. Since then, researchers have conducted thousands of studies of humans, animals, and cell cultures. None reveal any findings dramatically different from those described by the National Commission in 1972. In 1995, based on thirty years of scientific research editors of the British medical journal Lancet concluded that "the smoking of cannabis, even long term, is not harmful to health." United States. National Commission on Marihuana and Drug Abuse. Marihuana: A signal of misunderstanding. Shafer Commission Report. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, 1972. “Deglamorising Cannabis.” Editorial. The Lancet 356:11(1995): 1241.

Myth: Marijuana Causes an Amotivational Syndrome. Marijuana makes users passive, apathetic, and uninterested in the future. Students who use marijuana become underachievers and workers who use marijuana become unproductive.

Fact: For twenty-five years, researchers have searched for a marijuana-induced amotivational syndrome and have failed to find it. People who are intoxicated constantly, regardless of the drug, are unlikely to be productive members of society. There is nothing about marijuana specifically that causes people to lose their drive and ambition. In laboratory studies, subjects given high doses of marijuana for several days or even several weeks exhibit no decrease in work motivation or productivity. Among working adults, marijuana users tend to earn higher wages than non-users. College students who use marijuana have the same grades as nonusers. Among high school students, heavy use is associated with school failure, but school failure usually comes first.

Myth: Marijuana Policy in the Netherlands is a Failure. Dutch law, which allows marijuana to be bought, sold, and used openly, has resulted in increasing rates of marijuana use, particularly in youth.

Fact: The Netherlands' drug policy is the most nonpunitive in Europe. For more than twenty years, Dutch citizens over age eighteen have been permitted to buy and use cannabis (marijuana and hashish) in government-regulated coffee shops. This policy has not resulted in dramatically escalating cannabis use. For most age groups, rates of marijuana use in the Netherlands are similar to those in the United States. However, for young adolescents, rates of marijuana use are lower in the Netherlands than in the United States. The Dutch people overwhelmingly approve of current cannabis policy which seeks to normalize rather than dramatize cannabis use. The Dutch government occasionally revises existing policy, but it remains committed to decriminalization. ... Visit: http://www.drugpolicy.org/marijuana/factsmyths/#netherlands

Amsterdam News, Coffeeshops: Marijuana Is In, Tobacco Is Out Under Netherlands’ Smoking Ban Amsterdam Tourist Information | June 20 (Bloomberg) — Starting July 1, marijuana will be the only leaf that can be smoked in public places in the Netherlands. Cannabis devotees aren’t celebrating. Local pot smokers, who usually cut joints with tobacco, and owners of the “coffee shops” where they are allowed to light up will have to change their habits when the nation implements the indoor tobacco ban. Puffing a pure marijuana cigarette in public will still be permitted; smoking one with tobacco will merit coffee shop owners a 300-euro ($466) fine for the first offense and 2,400 euros for a fourth.

“Every customer will have to learn how to smoke pure,” said Robert Kempen, co-owner of The NooN and Mellow Yellow in Amsterdam, which sell marijuana and hashish. The rule makes him “sick to death,” he said, rolling himself a joint. Coffee-shop proprietors say the ban will put some of them out of business as smokers stay away. The nation’s 720 outlets that serve marijuana smokers generate a large portion of their revenue from selling drinks, food and rolling papers to their patrons. Dutch sales of cannabis alone totaled 1.2 billion euros ($1.86 billion) in 2001, according to the most recent figures available from the nation’s statistics bureau. ... Visit: http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/324-amsterdam-coffeeshops-smoking-ban

Dutch drug policies do not increase marijuana use, first rigorous comparative study finds - By Jennifer McNulty - May 3, 2004 | In the first rigorous study comparing marijuana use in the Netherlands and the United States, researchers have found no evidence that decriminalization of marijuana leads to increased drug use. The results suggest that drug policies may have less impact on marijuana use than is currently thought. In Amsterdam, coffeeshops can be licensed to sell hashish and marijuana in small quantities for personal consumption by adults. Photo by Janice Tetlow The findings appear in the May issue of the American Journal of Public Health. Craig Reinarman, professor of sociology at UCSC, coauthored the article, “The Limited Relevance of Drug Policy: Cannabis in Amsterdam and in San Francisco,” with Peter D. A. Cohen, director of the Centre for Drug Research (CEDRO) at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, and Hendrien L. Kaal, now an instructor at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands. The study compared the cannabis (marijuana and hashish) habits of users in Amsterdam and San Francisco to test the premise that punishment for cannabis use deters use and thereby benefits public health. ... Visit: http://www.ucsc.edu/currents/03-04/05-03/drug_study.html

Cannabis coffee shop - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia | This article is about establishments selling marijuana. For establishments for the consumption of coffee, see coffeehouse. The examples and perspective in this article may not represent a worldwide view of the subject. Please improve this article and discuss the issue on the talk page. A cannabis coffeeshop is a place where the sale of cannabis and hashish for personal consumption by the public is tolerated by the local authorities (in Dutch called gedoogbeleid). They are most commonly found in the Netherlands. ... Visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cannabis_coffee_shop

Understanding the Netherlands' marijuana policy - By Jeffrey Stinson, USA TODAY - Posted 6/27/2008 | Cannabis is technically an illegal substance in the Netherlands, although you won't get arrested for buying or smoking it in a coffee shop. The Dutch have adopted a policy of "gedogen," or blind eye, to its sale and use since 1976. The government distinguished between so-called "soft" cannabis drugs and "hard" drugs such as heroin or cocaine. That's when coffee houses sprang up to sell and let people smoke. MAIN STORY: Tobacco ban wafts into Amsterdam's pot shops In 1996, the Dutch government began to crack down on cannabis cafes. It now licenses them, bans them advertising their product, prohibits sales to anyone under 18, and limits sales and possession to 5 grams a day per person. Before, people could possess up to 30 grams. Since then, the number of shops in the country has fallen by about half -- to 720 in the country. Last year, shops were forced to choose between serving alcohol and cannabis. Most chose cannabis. The sales aren't subject to tax. However, owners pay taxes on the income they make from selling it. The government and cannabis advocates say that regulating the sale and use of soft drugs results in less hard-drug addiction. ... Visit: http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2008-06-27-amsterdam-marijuana_N.htm

Marijuana Seeds (cannabis seeds), Marijuana-seeds.nl offers only the highest quality marijuana seeds (cannabis seeds) in the world at excellent prices. SPECIAL: 5 FREE marijuana seeds with every order* Our Marijuana seeds ( Cannabis Seeds ) are hand checked so you get the best; We stock the most popular varieties of marijuana seeds e.g. White Widow and Northern Lights; We ship seeds worldwide, discreetly packaged in crush proof envelopes; Seeds are batch tested in Holland & have 90% plus germination rate if germinated correctly; We stock the most awarded marijuana strains such as Cannabis Cup & High Times Cup winners. Almost every variety we stock has won awards! We stock an excellent range of feminized marijuana seeds

DISCLAIMER | Please be aware that the cultivation of Marijuana is a Criminal Offence in many jurisdictions around the world. In fact the importation of marijuana seeds is also illegal in some countries around the world. It is an offence under the Mis-use of Drugs Act 1974 to Cultivate any plant of the Genus Cannabis within the UK. We only sell marijuana Seeds as souvenirs. We therefore can give no guarantees regarding germination. We will send Marijuana, Cannabis Seeds to any country around the world. HOWEVER please note that YOU importing these seeds may be a CRIMINAL OFFENCE for which the punishment may well be far in excess of the actual crime. Marijuana-Seeds.nl do not encourage anyone to act in contravention of the LAW in their jurisdiction and expect customers to check their local laws and to act in accordance with them. If seeds are ordered outside the eu and do not arrive due to customs regulations we cannot re send. Marijuana-Seeds.nl specifically deny any product or company liability, we again stress that our marijuana seeds are sold for novelty purposes only. You must be 18 years old! Check your own laws! ... Visit: http://www.marijuana-seeds.nl/

Marijuana effects and information on drugs | Here you will find everything about marijuana, like How to roll a joint, Smoking pipes and bongs and Eating marijuana. Below we describe our opinion of marijuana. Taking marijuana affects and stimulates thinking and leads to a philosophic, positive attitude towards life. It causes euphoric feelings. You start feeling very happy and it stimulates your mind. Someone who is "high" has a positive view on the world and on life. Marijuana doesn't cause any mental harm. No cases are known of individuals crippled for life, neither physically, nor mentally. However, marijuana may intensify already existing latent, suppressed fears.

In the Netherlands marijuana is mostly smoked in a joint. The hash or weed is crumbled on some tobacco and sometimes covered with even more tobacco. Then a big joint is rolled, often very ingeniously, and it is shared by a number of smokers. The consequence of mixing tobacco and marijuana is that the smoker does get STONED, but not HIGH. Being stoned is a pleasant form of a light daze. The smoker feels dreamily, his/her world slows down, music becomes more intense and thoughts expand enormously. A stoned person is not very keen. Why should you worry when you're feeling so fine?! There is a large variety of effects of the different sorts of marijuana. The experienced taker knows the difference between Nepalese, Turkish, Afghan or Moroccan hash. Some sorts make you light-footed and talkative, other sorts prompt to lie down and dream.

In some circles alcohol is taken while smoking marijuana. mostly beer, sometimes wine, but real macho's also drink whisky or another spirit while smoking marijuana. Then smoking marijuana is useless, as alcohol breaks down the effect of the THC. The reason why marijuana is so popular is very simple: everyone smoking marijuana on a regular basis, knows from personal experience that it's harmless. Innumerable scientific researches have proven again and again that taking marijuana is not addictive. Everyone who smokes pure hashish from a pipe, without tobacco, would like to take again, because he/she appreciates the effect, but he/she doesn't know that uncontrollable need of the nicotine addict to immediately light another cigarette. Smoking pure hashish or marijuana always is a conscious choice.

The marijuana smoker decides to get high, for example to get more out of a conversation or to be able to undergo music or a movie in a more intense way, to feel a bond with nature or to reflect thoroughly on an idea. A marijuana smoker smokes because it gives him/her inspiration, not to escape from reality. Shortly after the smoke of marijuana has been inhaled, the effect is perceptible. The taker starts to feel euphoric, cheerful and relaxed. The beauty, the fun and the bright side of life, usually defeated by the daily grind, become perceptible. Ideas and views crop up and tensions disappear. ... Visit: http://www.drugs-plaza.com/marijuana/marijuana.htm

The Netherlands Compared With The United States | The Netherlands follows a policy of separating the market for illicit drugs. Cannabis is primarily purchased through coffee shops. Coffee shops offer no or few possibilities for purchasing illicit drugs other than cannabis. Thus The Netherlands achieve a separation of the soft drug market from the hard drugs market - and separation of the 'acceptable risk' drug user from the 'unacceptable risk' drug user. Source: Abraham, Manja D., University of Amsterdam, Centre for Drug Research, Places of Drug Purchase in The Netherlands (Amsterdam: University of Amsterdam, September 1999), pp. 1-5.

... Comparing Important Drug and Violence Indicators; Social Indicator, Comparison Year, USA, Netherlands. Lifetime prevalence of marijuana use (ages 12+), 2001, 36.9% 1, 17.0% 2 ... "There were 2.4 drug-related deaths per million inhabitants in the Netherlands in 1995. In France this figure was 9.5, in Germany 20, in Sweden 23.5 and in Spain 27.1. According to the 1995 report of the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction in Lisbon, the Dutch figures are the lowest in Europe. The Dutch AIDS prevention programme was equally successful. Europe-wide, an average of 39.2% of AIDS victims are intravenous drug-users. In the Netherlands, this percentage is as low as 10.5%." ... Visit: http://www.drugwarfacts.org/cms/node/67

Marijuana's Adverse Effects -- familydoc | Information about marijuana's adverse effects from the American Academy of Family Physicians ... Is marijuana use associated with other drug use? ... What are the common side effects of marijuana use? The following are some of the common side effects of using marijuana: Trouble remembering things Slowed reaction time Difficulty concentrating Sleepiness Anxiety Paranoia (feeling that people are "out to get you") Altered time perception Red, bloodshot eyes Using marijuana for a long time makes some people lose interest in school, work, relationships and other activities. It may also cause legal problems. Using marijuana can be especially dangerous in certain situations, such as when you are driving, because your reaction time is slower. This make it more difficult to react to a dangerous situation, which could cause an accident. ... Visit: http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/addictions/drugs/485.html

Welcome to cannabisdelight.com - Smokersdelight, the best portal for smoking growing and eating marijuana, cannabis | Are you interested in growing Marijuana? Then take a look here! We have all information about growing marijuana plants, and sell all kinds of high quality dutch cannabis & marijuana seeds, and ship them worldwide for free! We have indoor seeds, outdoor Marijuana seeds, in all price categories with all kinds of information. Interested in the process of growing marijuana? Then you'll surely appriciate our Growing Guide. So take a look and now how to start after having bought your own seeds. All seeds packages contain 10 seeds, prices include tax, shipping and handling costs. We send everything by priority mail. They are packed in normal cd enveloppes, without any indication of the contents. All payments are handled through HTTPS Secured servers so safety is garantueed! ... Visit: http://www.cannabisdelight.com/

Home > News Archive > 1999 > Dutch Marijuana Use Half That Of America, Study Reveals Dutch Marijuana Use Half That Of America, Study Reveals - January 7, 1999 | Amsterdam, Netherlands -- Americans consume marijuana at rates more than double those of their Dutch counterparts, according to a study published Tuesday by the Center for Drug Research (CEDRO) of the University of Amsterdam. "These findings illustrate that criminalizing marijuana does little, if anything, to discourage use," said Allen St. Pierre, executive director of The NORML Foundation. He noted that Dutch law allows citizens over 18 to buy and consume marijuana in government-regulated coffeeshops. The study found that 15.6 percent of Dutch persons aged 12 and over had tried marijuana. Of these, 4.5 percent reported using marijuana in the past year, and 2.5 percent said they used the drug during the past month. By contrast, 32.9 percent of Americans admit trying marijuana, and nine percent report using the drug in the past year. Slightly more than five percent of Americans say they use the drug monthly.

The study's authors concluded that "a repressive [marijuana] policy as in the U.S. does not necessarily result in less drug use. The availability of drugs is no determining factor for levels of drug use in a country." The study, financed by the health ministry and conducted by Amsterdam University and the Central Bureau of Statistics, is the first to document national marijuana use rates. Data previously compiled by the Dutch National Institute of Health and Addiction (NIHA) determined that Dutch adolescents use marijuana at significantly lower rates than Americans. The agency reported that 21 percent of Dutch adolescents admit trying the drug compared to 45 percent of American high school seniors. ... Visit: http://norml.org/index.cfm?Group_ID=3925

Cannabis (drug) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from Marijuana) This article is about Cannabis used as a psychoactive drug. For the plant genus, see Cannabis. For industrial and other personal uses of cannabis, see Cannabis#Industrial_and_Personal_Uses. "Marijuana" redirects here. For other uses, see Marijuana (disambiguation). | Cannabis | A dried flower of a Cannabis sativa plant. Note the visible trichomes (commonly referred to incorrectly as 'crystals'), which carry a large portion of the total cannabinoid or psychoactive drug content. Scientific classification Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Rosales Family: Cannabaceae Genus: Cannabis Species: C. sativa, C. indica Binomial name Cannabis sativa, Cannabis indica L.

Cannabis, commonly known as marijuana or marihuana,[1] and ganja (from Sanskrit: ????? gañj?, meaning hemp), among many other names,a[›] refer to any sort of preparation of the plants of the Cannabis genus intended for human ingestion for the purpose of inducing psychoactive effects. The most common form of Cannabis is the natural herbal form. The typical herbal form of Cannabis used as a drug consists of the flowers and subtending leaves and stalks of mature pistillate or female plants. The resinous form of the drug, known as hashish or merely as hash,[2] as well as hash oil or honey oil, consists primarily of glandular trichomes of Cannabis collected from the same material as that mentioned directly above. Kief is a type of hashish where the trichomes have been dried and crushed into a powder. Sinsemilla is a highly potent type of Cannabis plant that is bred to be non-pollinated and seedless, which essentially results in the dedication of all of the plant's resources into producing psychoactive compounds instead of focusing on reproduction.[3]

The major psychoactive chemical compound in Cannabis is ?9-tetrahydrocannabinol (abbreviated as ?9-THC or merely just THC). At least 66 other cannabinoids are also present in Cannabis, including cannabidiol (CBD), cannabinol (CBN), tetrahydrocannabivarin (THCV), cannabichromene (CBC), cannabigerol (CBG), cannabicyclol (CBL), cannabivarin (CBV), and cannabidivarin (CBDV), among, of course, many, many others. Along with THC, some of these cannabinoids are pharmacologically active and contribute to the effects of Cannabis. These compounds act by binding to and modulating the cannabinoid receptors CB1, CB2, GPR55 (proposed to be renamed as CB3), and GPR119 (may come to be known as CB4 in the future).

The human consumption of Cannabis via smoking has been found to have occurred as long ago as the 3rd millenium B.C.[4] In modern times, the drug has been used for recreational, religious or spiritual, and medicinal purposes. The United Nations (UN) estimates that about 4% of the world's adult population (162 million people) use Cannabis annually, and about 0.6% (22.5 million) use it on a daily basis.[5] The possession, use, or sale of Cannabis preparations containing psychoactive cannabinoids became illegal in most parts of the world in the early 20th century. Since then, some countries have intensified the enforcement of Cannabis prohibition, while others have reduced it. ... Visit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marijuana

Should the USA have marijuana laws similar to the netherlands? | If your 21 and above you are allowed to grow your own in private or enter a special cafe to smoke marijuana, smoking in the streets or giving it to anyone below 21 is illegal and you cannot smoke within 4 hours of using dangerous equipment. No anti pot people, this is the closest so legalizing possible without harming your anti-gay,anti-abortion,anti-drug,anti-ob… and anti-global warming ideology you cons have. 3 weeks ago Additional Details If you wanna see more anti weed nuts look at the politics section on the politics section ... Visit: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20090722215032AAoif3J

Reward Marijuana Sanity! The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) is beginning the New Year by coordinating the nomination of the Netherlands for a Nobel Prize - January 13th, 2009 By: Allen St. Pierre, NORML Executive Director | The National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws (NORML) is beginning the New Year by coordinating the nomination of the Netherlands for a Nobel Prize for its achievements in minimizing drug use in its citizens, while at the same time restricting imprisonment. With few peers at the international level and despite tremendous pressure from the United States, the Dutch government and its people have proven for more than 30 years that it is more cost effective, humane, and practical to be “smart on drugs” rather than “tough on drugs.”

The following quotes from physician Stephen H. Frye’s book ‘Twenty-five Reasons to Legalize Drugs - We Really Lost This War!’ document the validity and appropriateness of this nomination: “The drug war, not the drugs, kills people. This is now a real war. Although it started out as political rhetoric, it’s become a genuinely deadly conflict…It has caused hundreds of thousands of unnecessary deaths and untold misery, especially to our children, teens, women, and minorities. And like all wars, it’s been hugely expensive and wasteful; to date, it has cost more than a trillion dollars. And this is just in the United States; the international devastation is incomprehensible. Furthermore, like many wars, it’s based on lies.

“The few deaths that are caused by the drugs are due to impurities, dosages that are not standardized, and reluctance to call 911 when someone overdoses out of fear of being arrested. Replacing prohibition with sensible health-oriented alternatives, including legalizing currently illicit drugs, can eliminate these drug-related deaths. “The Dutch should be recognized for their remarkable human rights achievement of regulating and decriminalizing drugs and equally important, offering comprehensive treatment to its affected citizens. The number of lives they have saved, as well as assaults, robberies, rapes, child abuse, and other prohibition-related criminal activities that they’ve prevented, is a major humanitarian and public health accomplishment. Their success in minimizing the catastrophic effects of the War on Drugs cannot be overstated. For example, the U.S. has six times as many people in prisons as the Netherlands per capita, and still we have four times their murder rate. Compared to ours, the Dutch prison population is negligible and they actually provide education and rehabilitation for their inmates. Furthermore, their incidence of AIDS and hepatitis is a fraction of ours.

“Taken together, these groundbreaking medical, human rights and humanitarian accomplishments are of unprecedented magnitude. They not only serve as an inspiration to the rest of the world, they also demand emulation. Because of this, it is recommended that Louk Hulsman, Professor Emeritus of Criminal Law at the University of Rotterdam, who was originally responsible for crafting the forward-thinking drug policy in the Netherlands and the Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sports, who administer their very successful current drug policies, be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.”

The world owes a great debt of gratitude to them, along with many thousands of activists, academics, and religious and business leaders, for demonstrating that a scientifically-crafted harm reduction drug policy based on researched public health models, not an unyielding prohibition, prison oriented model, results in a healthier, safer, and less imprisoned population—that also uses fewer drugs. ... Visit: http://blog.norml.org/2009/01/13/reward-marijuana-sanity-netherlands-for-nobel-peace-prize/

Dutch Police Add Pot-Sniffing Helicopter to Drug War Arsenal by Warren Riddle (RSS feed) — May 5th 2009 | In the Netherlands, the sale of marijuana is legal, albeit restricted, but the nation is still engaged in a cannabis drug war. According to Dvice, 90-percent of the marijuana grown on local Dutch farms is sold illegally through smugglers and foreign drug traffickers. To help combat the unsanctioned reefer madness, Dutch police have added a new unmanned helicopter, dubbed the 'Canna Chopper,' which detects hidden grow areas using odor-detecting instruments and video cameras. On its inaugural expedition, the chopper identified an illicit field and alerted backup humans, who then arrested seven farmers and confiscated several kilos (1 kilo = 2.2 lbs) of the odorous herb. (Did the copter get a "Good boy!" or a special treat?) The addition of such choppers to U.S. police forces would seem likely, especially in areas know to host illegal farms. We only hope that developers can adapt the technology to detect human odors, as well, so that similar devices can be used to locate missing backpackers or people lost at sea. [From: Dvice] ... Visit: http://www.switched.com/2009/05/05/dutch-police-add-pot-sniffing-helicopter-to-drug-war-arsenal/

Netherlands: Dutch support legalizing marijuana in Netherlands Associated Press, via the Jerusalem Post, USA Apr. 27, 2005 www.jpost.com | AMSTERDAM, Netherlands - Two polls released Wednesday showed strong support in the Netherlands for legalizing marijuana outright after several decades of a tolerance policy. Newspaper Trouw interviewed the mayors of the Netherlands’ 30 largest cities, and two-thirds supported legalization. Meanwhile, Dutch pollster Maurice de Hond found that 49 percent of Dutch support legalization, while an additional 15 percent want tolerance to continue, and just 33 percent want a more restrictive policy. The poll had a margin of error of less than 3 percentage points. Marijuana is technically illegal in the Netherlands, though people aren’t prosecuted for possession of small amounts. It is sold openly in some cafes.

The latest polls follow a call Tuesday by the minister of reform to license more marijuana sellers outside cities to ease problems caused by foreign drug tourists in city centers. Parliament is to debate the issue later Wednesday. In Trouw’s survey, 20 mayors said they wanted so-called soft drugs hashish and marijuana to be legalized. Four supported tougher measures proposed by the conservative government, including restricting the number of licensed sellers and increasing penalties for growers. Six mayors had no opinion or could not be contacted. “Something has to happen, otherwise we’re going to go crazy here,” Jan Mans, mayor of the eastern border city of Venlo, told the paper. Many Germans drive across the border into Venlo to buy hash and marijuana. “Why not do a trial with legalizing soft drugs in the border region? With the results, we can no doubt show Europe that it works,” Mans said. ... Visit: http://www.religionnewsblog.com/11116

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