Haarlem, The Netherlands. Feb 17, 2012.

Haarlem's Coffeeshop Entrepreneurs refuse to introduce Weedpass.

All 16 tolerated cannabis coffeeshops of Haarlem, united in Team Haarlems'
Coffeeshopentrepreneurs (THC) reject Justice Minister Opstelten's Weedpass
Project, they see no purpose in registering their customers as cannabis
users.

The motivation behind this statement lies in the results of an enquiry
held by the 16 coffeeshops, which indicates only 12.4 % of the
participants will eventually register as a cannabis user on the
'member-list' of a coffeeshop.
This indicates that the Haarlem coffeeshops would end up losing 87.6 % of
their customers and turnover, which would inevitably lead to many
bankruptcies.
In case of a bankruptcy, a coffeeshop ceazes to exist, so participating in
the Weedpass Project is simply no option, according to the 16 members of
the THC.

This would also mean all coffeeshop employees (Budtenders) will be fired,
some 90 people would end up without a job, and apply for benefits.
That is undesirable, because that would not only affect the Haarlem
coffeeshops, all coffeeshops in the Netherlands would have to lay most, if
not all, Budtenders of.
These 4.500 people would end up being unemployable, because a CV with the
stigma of cannabis all over it will make employers turn them down.

The enquiry also shows that 62,9 % procent of the Nay-sayers would buy
their cannabis from a  street- or housedealer, if they were not registered
and allowed to buy in coffeeshops, 21,7 % indicates they will start
growing their own cannabis!
If the government forces our customers to buy of the street in the future,
they will end up buying from persons that sell all kinds of drugs besides
cannabis, and that is unacceptable, states the THC.

The Dutch Tolerance Policy for cannabis sales is based on 'the separation
of the markets', the market of cannabis (soft drugs) and the market of
heroin, cocaine, etc.(hard drugs). The coffeeshops have successfully
maintained this principle, by doing an excellent job.
The presence of coffeeshops in Dutch society does make a difference, a
clear and positive difference, cannabis consumption in the Netherlands
(people over 16 years of age)is 6.1 %, in the USA it is 12.8 %, and in the
UK, for example, it is 10.8 %, without coffeeshops!
Prohibition does seem to cause more cannabis consumption than allowing
regulated cannabis sales. This system can not just be eradicated because
our Justice Minister thinks and states smoking cannabis is bad, and 'we'
should do away with all that.

The 16 Haarlem coffeeshopentrepreneurs have decided not to comply with the
new criteria for tolerated coffeeshops, like registering Dutch citizens as
cannabis users, and discriminating all non-Dutch coffeeshop visitors. We
can not beat bankruptcy, so we, our staff, customers and ourselves, are
ready to start a struggle with Minister Opstelten, before our civilized
city will be divided in working areas for street dealers and drugsrunners.

Wilco Sijm, Chairman THC             Nol van Schaik, Secretary THC
0655165594                                 023-2022270

Results of the inquiry by 16 coffeeshops in Haarlem, the Netherlands.

Number of participants: 702
All participants are of adult age. 

Question 1:

Question 2:
“Incase you awnsered 'NO' to question 1, WHY ?”

(this was an open awnser question)

Question 3:
“Where are you going to get your cannabis after Jan. 1st 2013?”

(this was an open awnser question)

Inquiry held by THC, Team Haarlems' Coffeeshopentrepreneurs.

.