The CDA (Christian Democrats, Dutch political party) have opened an attack on Dutch coffeeshops and indoor weed cultivators. The total of coffeeshops must be halved from the current 800 to only 400. And those who grow weed are in for a harder approach. Investigation would be intensified and people caught growing cannabis will be given more substantial punishments. The Dutch government is not yet saying this in as many words, but one thing is clear - tolerance policies are out and repression is in!

At the end of February a confidential memo from Minister of Justice, Donner was leaked to the press. In this document he made it clear that he intends to tighten up on the tolerance policy and bring it more into line with common European regulations. Just as other European countries are starting to lighten up with regard to Cannabis, (see Belgium and Switzerland) the Dutch under the CDA are putting locks back on the door. Things change.

Only three years ago a collective of mayors from major cities throughout the Netherlands, under the leadership of Johan Stelenburg (Tilburg) made a plea for more supple regulations with regard to the Cannabis tolerance policy. Then there was still a social-liberal coalition in government and they were being persuaded to consider adapting the 'back door acceptance' toward official regulation. Some municipalities were even voting on the right to legal hemp cultivation.

World of difference
Its only 2003 and now there is no longer any point in the discussion. Pleading for suppleness in accepted back door policy have been swapped for 'snitch lines' (see frame) 'weed wipe-out days' and home evictions. As example, take the local council in the Dutch provincial town of Helmond. After the complete failure of the 'submit your stash days' in November of last year, the council is trying again this time with an informer's phone-in line. The council hopes to use this 'drug related problem line' to continue its current crusade against Cannabis. The police of Helmond are devoting all their resources towards this 'hunt on hemp'. Last year 92 plantations were dismantled. Undoubtedly they will be trying to improve that record this year.

Another example of this heightened hunt on hemp farms is to be found in the town of Eindhoven. 2002 saw no less than 300 cannabis plantations being dismantled there and in the immediate surround. Within the first two months of this year the total has already reached 150. More often than not it is caravan camp communities who were primary targets of this clean up campaign by the police and riot squads. A public awareness campaign is also being prepared with all the risks of home growing to be listed in official folders.

Another example is to be found in the province of Brabant where the mayor of Den Bosch let it be known that he wanted his town and in particular the area of Boschveld 'weed free' before the annual carnival there. Just as in the other communities, here too, the police under the direct orders of the local authorities in Den Bosch are intensifying their search and destroy hunt on hemp farmers.

The rest of the Netherlands is experiencing much of the same if you look at the figures. The hunt for hemp has been heightened and the consequences for those who still dare to grow have become much heavier. People who have plants in their homes can now be evicted by their landlords. Helmond is the prime example of this development. Until now, people who faced eviction under these conditions were given little sympathy by a judge. Eviction is often the immediate consequence of discovery of indoor hemp plantations. In February of this year a judge issued a verdict in the court at Den Bosch, whereby hemp cultivators with children who are still minors, could only be evicted from their present home under such like circumstances, if there was alternative housing provided. A lawyer for the housing corporation has meantime gone into appeal against this verdict.

Even Groningen acknowledges the right of housing company 'De Huismeesters' to make stricter contracts to forbid the growing of Cannabis on their property. Until recently, one could only be evicted for huge rent back payments due or for causing social disruption. But the court in Groningen decided that a house may be completely cleared if an indoor Cannabis grow space is discovered. Similarities are to be found all over the Netherlands.

Coffeeshops Closed

Besides hemp farms, the government wants to include all 800 Dutch coffeeshops in their open attack. During the campaigns running up to elections, Minister Remkes of Interior Affairs let it be heard in Enschede that coffeeshops that cause problems will be quickly closed down. Remkes is quoted as saying, "Should a mayor presently wish to close down a particular coffeeshop, then he is required to meet all sorts of administrative requirements, which weigh heavily with a judge. What we should do is to scrap a number of the prerequisites, so that the mayors office is less vulnerable in court".

Minister Donner of the Justice Department expressed himself in a similar vein in the town of Venlo in January this year. Hardly two months later and he has been hard at work behind the scenes filling in his promises, or so it would seem from his leaked memo.
The past few years has seen a dramatic reduction in the number of coffeeshops in the Netherlands. In 1998 there were 1500 registered coffeeshops and currently the total is 800. The reduction of numbers of coffeeshops is most noticeable in the big cities.
But Mr. Donner is determined to go a step further. This CDA minister wants to half this number again. He wants to see 400 coffeeshops close down in the forthcoming years. With this resolve he is working towards the 'null option' posited by his party, who would actually prefer to see all coffeeshops closed down.
Local councils are going to be held responsible for closing down the shops, and if they should refuse, Donner will oblige them to sharpen the rules to a strict degree. One of the restrictions Donner intends to impose is the question of surroundings and distance from schools in the area. But should such a restriction be applied to include all school facilities within a 100m, than one can already close down at least 100 coffeeshops.

These actions by Minister Donner for stricter control over coffeeshops are likely to be supported by his peers in parliament. The VVD (conservatives) are all for it and even the labour party, PvdA is showing cautious support.

General line

This tendency toward a stricter approach against soft drugs policies fits in with the line being drawn by current Dutch politics over the past year. More police presence is desired. People want to see longer and more severe sentences imposed. They want to see compulsory identification installed. Public frisking is already permitted in many major cities as part of crime prevention. Prisoners have to share a cell with two or three others.

In short, tolerance is out and repression is in. The 'new politic' in the Netherlands has made short work of the social- liberal coalition once regarded as an even compromise between left and right parties. Now is the time of 'law and order'. The question remains as to whether these paper policy suggestions will ever become actuality. Paper is patient whereas reality is full of surprises.
The fact is that this small country is giving up on the progress it had made in relation to other countries in regard to soft drug tolerance policy. The Netherlands was once a successful example of an adult rationalisation of the use of soft drugs. And that it still is. But time will tell if the Dutch can still be proud of their policy in relation to soft drugs in the future.
One thing is for sure. Waving the famous report by Frank Bovenkerk in their hands, the Dutch government is going to do their best to bring grief to the Dutch Cannabis trade in the foreseeable future.

The innovators of the Dutch snitch phone-in line Meld Misdaad Anoniem (Report Crime Anonymously) are very satisfied with the results of their project. The last six months has seen 25 000 reported cases, twice as many as were predicted. Approximately 40% of all the reports are linked to drugs, most especially indoor weed gardens.

Meld Misdaad Anoniem also known simply as M, claims via their website that every week at least 40 calls come in concerning recreational drugs. Under the header of 'Phoning about drugs has good purpose', they report, "At Meld Misdaad Anoniem, we receive many calls about the drug trade and hemp plantations. That these tips are not simply shelved by the police is to be seen in the results achieved by the squads involved."
Two examples are offered. In an article titled 'Sweeping action in Twente and Ijsselland', the following appears. 'The police in the region of Ijsselland and Twente are taking the anonymous tips they receive about possible hemp gardens into account when the make their periodical swoops in the region. M is seen as an additional source of information that can easily be taken up in existing investigative methods.'

Even Amsterdammers have learned about the snitch line, "Because of M, a plantation of nearly 200 plants in the area of Amsterdam-Amstelland was recently dismantled. One person, unknown at the time to the police was retained in custody after questioning.
The police speak highly over the quality of information they receive in this manner.

Apart from this success, the police of Amsterdam - Amstelland have been able to solve some other cases too. Two drug dealers are being held for being in possession of soft drugs. Useful information was received with regard about possible deals involving XTC transport and trafficking in drugs.
Besides that, there has been a number of growing spaces closed down with all equipment being seized. One of these raids uncovered a space with 400 plants. In another raid on an apartment in Amsterdam North, the police not only found a healthy hemp plantation, but also a large quantity of illegal professional fireworks.

Extra campaign against drugs
For that matter, in the opinion of the initiators of the snitch line, the telephone calls they receive should not be seen as snitching, because, "Providing the police with important information about a crime is a civic duty. Snitching is different. Snitching is about people speaking badly about others regardless of the content of the story. Snitching is not acceptable, no-one should do that, but everyone should report crime when they know about it."

In conclusion, in April, the snitch line will be working with the Amsterdam police in a campaign to stop possession of dangerous weapons. In Twente, they are getting ready to join in while the police in the region of Haagland are considering it. The slogan for this campaign will be 'Weapons! Is it normal to own one?'
Later this year other actions will include joint actions against fencing stolen goods and against recreational drugs.

Weed growers - be warned!