Compromise on cannabis club passes ‘on its way’, says AD

Politicians in The Hague are working on a compromise proposal to end divisions over the introduction of the wietpas, a membership card for cannabis cafes, the AD reports on Thursday.


The paper says sources indicate the chance of the card being introduced nationwide from January 1 is very small.
The compromise would end the obligation on cannabis cafe owners to register users and would allow people to buy soft drugs all over the country. However ‘foreigners’ would be refused entry, the paper says, without defining whether this also includes foreign nationals officially resident in the Netherlands or just tourists.
Success
Justice minister Ivo Opstelten has described the new system, introduced in the south of the country in May, as a ‘great success’ but there have been numerous reports of increased street dealing and other drugs-related nuisance.
Labour and the VVD are currently in talks on forming a new government and the wietpas is one of the areas where agreement still has to be reached. The VVD wants to press on with the new system but the Labour party is opposed.
Opstelten is due to publish an official evaluation of the new system later this month.
Are you in favour of relaxing the new rules? Have your say using the comment box below.

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