hoeksteen on Wed, 14 May 1997 00:46:56 +0200 (MET DST) |
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<nettime> Drugs in Amsterdam |
Drugs in Amsterdam An Evaluation of the Situation with Drugs in Amsterdam days before the Amsterdam Summit by: Hannes Vegter Rob Zweetsloot This is an article about drugs in Amsterdam. As You might know drugs are one of the main sources of income in the Amsterdam economy. This has been so since almost 750 years. It is even right to say that the whole succes and wealth of the capital of the Netherlands is based on importing and transitting drugs for the whole of Europe. In the last few years a new industry emerged, because Amsterdam is the number one city in the whole world in producing this fantastic new product of the current economic slum, XTC. But now. with the coming of the Eurotop In Amsterdam, this economic succes is under siege, thanks to the politics of the new mayor Schelto Patijn. For the past months the Netherlands as a whole have had to face international pressure from espescially France's President Chirac on the Dutch view on how to handle the drugsproblem. Clear facts and figures have shown that the Dutch approach to this worldwide problem have paid off. Offcourse, the severe problems with how to handle the harddrugsproblem also have bothered the Dutch government, again Amsterdam, being the mayor city where these problems occur has had to to learn to deal with this. But the semi-legalization with softdrugs in Amsterdam is a clear advantage to the way other cities in foreign countries have not handled the situation. The use of marihuana is known not to be harmful and as the most importent member of the Green Party, Leo Jacobs even advises the Amsterdam Mayor, Mr Patijn to smoke a joint once a while to relax. This important step in accepting the fact that we need the freedom to allow our Amsterdam citizens to use substances that either comfort them, brighten them up or whatever makes 'em happy , should be picked up by the prominent European leaders. Instead of abolishing the drugproblem as something not existent, they should have the guts to face that drugs are here to stay, and the best way to handle it is the way we did it in Amsterdam. Offcourse, Mr Patijn has made some subtle differences in this policy. The age of marihuana is here to stay whether the politcians like it or not, because whatever tthey might say, the city is run by the druglords since mankind can remember. This also is the case for cocaine, heroine, XTC, speed, uppers, downers and all other sorts of drugs. So we can say Amsterdam is drug capitol of the western hemosphere, and nothing is going to change that. So fuck you, anti drug activists, and shove it up your ass. In centuries past, when the dangerous substances of coffee was forbidden in the world, Amsterdam already had coffeehouses where men could socialize and drink their coffee. We know now that the caffeine in this drink is some sort of addictive, but not very very dangerous. In these times the consumation of softdrugs should not be a problem. It is as simple as that, Mr Patijn could tell you that also. We are all just pregnant of little zebras, as killer O.J. used to say. So, it is not a freak circus, but the use of softdrugs, darlings , there is no problem, as long as you keep out of the harddrugs dangerzone. Snorting up white powder has become something of a fashionable habit in snobby discothques around here, but hey, cocaine never goes out of fashion. Most important thing to remember though is that there's no real harm in that stickie. It has been here since the Sixties and it is never going to away. We just need to communicate more. It is no way to handle the drugproblem by wishing it was not here, let's face it, our GOVERNMENTS have failed dramatically in handling the drugs. Drugs are here to stay and come and have a look in Amsterdam. We know how to handle this ici, even if Mr Patijn is panically closing discotheques to be in favor of France and Germany. It is very very sad that the pioneers, again the Amsterdam people, are forced to undergo the conservative forces running away from the problem. Cowardice is something we do not appreciate in Amsterdam. The war declared on drugs by the Americans is a ridicously funny Hollywood-production. Colonel Noriega could tell you a tale or two about the drug trade. It is widely known that American government officials have been heavily involved in the drugtrade. It is not a bad thing, drugs are very profitable, the Dutch could tell you that. But the approach of ignoring the drugs, not a very wise one. What we need know now is that drugs, there is a need for it , so why don't we accept it? By forbidding it, you just create more problems. So, action is needed know, BAD!!! Mariuana, mama, it is your baby, love it like your papa. --- # distributed via nettime-l : no commercial use without permission # <nettime> is a closed moderated mailinglist for net criticism, # collaborative text filtering and cultural politics of the nets # more info: majordomo@icf.de and "info nettime" in the msg body # URL: http://www.desk.nl/~nettime/ contact: nettime-owner@icf.de