'Pure cannabis' exempt from Dutch smoking ban     

Written by Adam Dubbin    
Thursday, 27 March 2008 

The Dutch health minister announced that cannabis will be exempt from the anti-cigarette smoking law that goes into effect for the Netherlands on July 1. The law affects all restaurants and bars, including the infamous coffeeshops.

That sigh of relief that you heard was probably from American tourists who travel the Amsterdam to enjoy the lax pot laws, but those from the 'old' continent seem to love their reefer mixed with tobacco. Interestingly, the law allows the establishments to set up an area for the patrons who prefer their mixed spliffs, only the employees cannot serve them because the air contains the highly carcinogenic tobacco smoke (which ostensibly comes from unrolled chemically drenched cigarettes).

Now that might sound absolutely ridiculous at first, but hear me out. It is undeniable that all smoke contains harmful chemicals -- carbon monoxide, etc. But the difference between the ciggies and the reefer, at least in the Netherlands where there is no incentive to taint the herb, is that cigarettes are a noxious chemical cocktail that includes wonderful ingredients such as ethylene glycol, gunpowder, and formaldehyde. This is what gives your Marlborough Reds that full flavor and perfect burn! The combustion of simple cannabis, on the other hand, is really no different that inhaling campfire smoke, except that it gets you far more stoned.

This should not minimalize the dangers of smoking marijuana, or anything at that. However, there is a method to the Dutch madness, and I for one applaud the health minister's announcement. Everyone wins in this one -- the tourists, the local economy, and the business employees who will be spared the inhalation of that nasty second-hand tobacco smoke.

[DutchNews, Forbes]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Adam Dubbin, managing editor of TheSequitur.com, is a doctoral student in audiology at the University of South Florida. 

http://www.thesequitur.com/content/view/2199/43/