Legalized marijuana may be coming to North America!

[ermitonto]

Most people don't know that the Netherlands owns several islands in the Caribbean, known as the Netherlands Antilles (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netherlands_Antilles). Currently these islands have their own legislative branch and I'm not sure but I assume that due to American influence in the region they do not show the same leniency towards soft drugs as the Netherlands proper. However, a commission of the governments of the Netherlands and the Netherlands Antilles have proposed to allow two of these islands, Curaçao and Sint Maarten, to retain their partial autonomy. Three others, Bonaire, Saba and Sint Eustatius would become directly part of the Netherlands and thus the same laws that apply in the Netherlands proper would apply there. Two of these islands are located just east of Puerto Rico (and English is even the main language on those islands) while the other is off the coast of Venezuela. If this happens we might have a nice weed haven here in North America, and who knows, their example might just make other Caribbean nations relax their drug laws.

[Euphoric]

this is great news. i can only hope that more countries resist american suppresive policies and stay independant and progressive.

[HeLTeR.SKeLTeR]

sounds great, is this for medical marihuana only or for whoever wants it?

[ermitonto]

Presumably it would mean not prosecuting for possession of 5 grams or less per person, or an ounce or less per coffeeshop (although even these laws are rarely enforced in the Netherlands). Medical marijuana is also completely legal in the Netherlands.

[chris420]

very good news, but i doubt it that this will make surrounding nations change their drug policies, mostly because the majority of those small countries are US followers. lets just cross our fingers and see

[ermitonto]

very good news, but i doubt it that this will make surrounding nations change their drug policies, mostly because the majority of those small countries are US followers. lets just cross our fingers and see

You're probably right, but for what it's worth both the countries that border the Netherlands (Belgium and Germany) might be headed in the direction of legalization, showing that some politicians are actually willing to learn from other countries' examples on this issue. According to this (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drug_policy_of_the_Netherlands):

As of 2004, Belgium seems to be moving toward the Dutch model and local German legislators are calling for experiments based on the Dutch model.

It will no doubt take much longer for progress to happen in this hemisphere (goddamn Monroe Doctrine) but I think that eventually many more countries will realize the error of drug prohibition the same way they realized that alcohol prohibition was a big mistake.

[Kramerica]

Sounds like a great place for a honeymoon!

[Dick Justice]

*orgasms in pants*

Now if only we could solve that damn "murder is illegal" thing...