Mandatory shroom diploma for Dutch mushroom vendors

[Caduceus Mercurius]

English readers, please scroll down for a synopsis of this article.

Stel paddodiploma verplicht, zeggen smartshops en drugsonderzoekers.

Verkopers van paddo's in Amsterdam moeten verplicht een examen afleggen dat test op warenkennis en sociale vaardigheden. Pas met een paddodiploma op zak is de verkoop van de tripschimmel toegestaan. Hiervoor pleiten drugsinstituut Trimbos en de Vereniging Landelijk Overleg Smartshops (VLOS), die het examen samen willen ontwikkelen. Het paddo-examen is één van de voorstellen die de VLOS doet om de verkoop van hallucinogene paddenstoelen te reguleren. Die regulering moet een aanstaand paddoverbod keren. De organisatie vindt bovendien dat Amsterdam het aantal verkooppunten van paddo's moet halveren. Momenteel zijn er naar schatting vijftig paddoshops in de stad. De aanpak moet gelden voor Amsterdam omdat alleen deze stad problemen kent met trippende toeristen.

Amsterdam moet een jaar de tijd krijgen om te bewijzen dat regulering van paddo's werkt. Een verbod is dan niet nodig, zeggen de gecertificeerde smartshops.

De VLOS wil dat minister van Volksgezondheid Ab Klink afziet van wijziging van de Opiumwet, waardoor ook gebruik van en handel in verse paddenstoelen strafbaar wordt. De Kamerfracties van de PvdA, GroenLinks, SP en D66 zijn tegen een verbod en vóór regulering. Zij bevinden zich in gezelschap van de Vereniging Nederlandse Gemeenten, het Amsterdamse stadsbestuur, de GGD's, Verslavingszorg Noord Nederland, de adviescommissie voor nieuwe drugs CAM en het International Narcotics Control Board van de Verenigde Naties.

"Zo'n verbod is allemaal sentiment," vindt VLOS-woordvoerder Paul van Oyen. "Nergens op gebaseerd." Een Kamermeerderheid stemde vorige lente in met het voorstel om paddo's te verbieden. Aanleiding daarvoor was de dood van een Franse toeriste nadat zij van het dak van Nemo naar beneden was gesprongen - of gevallen. "Het is niet zeker of zij onder invloed was van paddo's. Er is immers nooit autopsie uitgevoerd op haar lichaam. Ook de ambulanceritten vallen nader beschouwd mee," zegt Van Oyen. "Er waren vorig jaar 149 paddogerelateerde ambulanceritten. Negen daarvan eindigden in een ziekenhuisopname. Maar twee slachtoffers hadden alleen paddo's op. In de rest van de gevallen was er ook drank, heroïne of coke in het spel."

PvdA-Kamerlid Lea Bouwmeester heeft nog een ander bezwaar tegen het paddoverbod. "Het is niet te handhaven. De Vliegenzwam (rood met witte stippen, red.), die ook wordt verboden, groeit overal. Word ik straks opgepakt omdat zo'n paddenstoel toevallig in mijn tuin staat?"

door Niels Rigter

Gepubliceerd in de Metro 6 juni 2008

This text appeared as a frontpage article in a major free newspaper (the Metro) in the Netherlands, June 6 2008.

Mandatory shroom diploma for Dutch mushroom vendors

Shroom vendors in Amsterdam must pass for a mandatory exam which will test knowledge of shrooms as well as social skills. Only shopkeepers with a shroom diploma will be allowed to sell the tripfungus. This is proposed by the Dutch smartshop organization, called the VLOS, which wants to develop this exam. The shroom exam is one of the proposals aimed at regulating the sale of hallucinogenic mushrooms. That regulation should turn the tide of the possible ban on shrooms which might go into effect later this year.

The organization suggests Amsterdam brings down the number of vendors to half. Currently there are approximately 50 shops selling shrooms [most of them not members of the VLOS, and not at all informed about entheogens, CM]. This approach should be applied to Amsterdam, because it's only in this city where there are problems with tripping tourists.

Amsterdam should be allowed to try out this approach for one year to prove that regulating the sale of mushrooms works. A ban isn't necessary, the certified smartshops say.

 

[Dantediv86]

that makes sense

 

[ararat]

sounds like a good idea. I really hope it works.

 

[pompiedom]

Allemaal leuk en aardig maar ik denk dat onze kortzichtige gristelijke vrinden hier toch echt niet naar zullen luisteren.

Het verbod komt er, hoe dan ook. En dat stond al vast aan het begin van de regeerperiode.

 

[magickmumu]

Pompiedom: jou instelling is niet erg positief.
Als je blijft zeggen dat het verbod er toch wel komt, dan gaat het zeker ook gebeuren.
Self-fulfilling prophecy heet dat.
Ik weiger te denken dat het verbod er doorkomt. Ik blijf hoop houden.
Zelfs als er een verbod komt, is het gevecht voor de vrijheid nog niet over.
Pompiedom toon jezelf wat meer strijdlustig. Sla met je vuist op tafel en zeg: NEE er komt geen verbod. Want als je jezelf neerlegt bij het verbod, doe je precies wat ze willen.
De industrie die de paddo's verkoopt (leverancier en smartshop) in Nederland is professioneel en groot. Er zijn veel mensen die actie ondernemen. Ik wou dat ik zelf meer actief kon zijn in binnen de strijd. Als er weer red de paddo acties worden gehouden wil ik er zeker mijn steentje aan bijdragen.

 

[BrainEater]

i guess it's a good idea... probably this could prevent "accidents" while tripping such as in the last year when somebody in holland jumped from a bridge, as people are being well informed beforehand.

peace

 

[Forkbender]

i guess it's a good idea... probably this could prevent "accidents" while tripping such as in the last year when somebody in holland jumped from a bridge, as people are being well informed beforehand.

peace

1. They never found psilocin/psilocybin in her blood.
2. She didn't buy shrooms personally.
3. This has never been in the media.

4. I agree with what you say. Informed decission are key. Maybe we could make a waiver people should sign. Something about the possible dangers of bad set/setting, I agree that it is my own bloody fault if something happens to me, etc. This will probably scare some of the people away, but they're probably better of without shrooms.

 

[Forkbender]

Ik wou dat ik zelf meer actief kon zijn in binnen de strijd.

Alles wat je nodig hebt is tijd: schrijf brieven (op papier doet het altijd beter) naar tweede kamerleden, leer anderen hoe paddo's werken, wat ze doen, laat van je horen.

 

[Caduceus Mercurius]

Ik weiger te denken dat het verbod er doorkomt. Ik blijf hoop houden.

I'll reply in English, as this News item is posted in the English section. I also refuse to believe the ban will ever go in effect. I've been saying this from the beginning. And indeed, many times since then it was rumoured that the ban would go into effect within a week, or within a month, and it was delayed over and over.

Recently it again seemed the ban was imminent and I wouldn't be able to finish my latest project before that ban, but now it turns out it's going to take at least until September, enough time to give my current strategy a try.

Been working on this particular project for something like three weeks in a row, spending all my free time on it, limiting my usual email correspondence and other Internet activities.

I will do what I can for the rest of my life. And that ban is NOT going into effect. In fact my goal is not to merely prevent the Dutch ban, but to make ALL psychedelics legal again in ALL European countries. That's the aim of whatever I'm doing. Think big. The sky is the limit.

 

[Forkbender]

The sky is the limit.

There is no limit!

Anyway, CM, love your dedication to the project. Hope to be able to contribute more in the future. (Stupid thesis doesn't write itself :\ )

 

[BrainEater]

yes!!! with a "diploma" for everyone that sells the psychoactives and knows to whom he can sell and to whom not for avoiding abuse.

peace. :weedman:

 

[Brugmansia]

Approach the VVD with this approach! 8)

If they support this, the majority for the prohibition will be gone.

 

[phatass]

So dutch... héhé... thats sweet, there may still be chance after all...

 

[Dantediv86]

i'm looking forward to be denied shrooms this summer XD

 

[HeartCore]

removed the troll food

 

[Meduzz]

Did you have 'naives' for breakfast this morning by any chance?

Naives are a very nutritious breakfast, be sure to boil them alive though...

 

[Jahvisions]

I believe this never works because in the first place you can't check if they follow rules. When I was 14 I bought also liquor while you had to be 16, if I couldn't get it someone else took it. And if a tourist says he knows what it is how do you know he is telling the truth. If you give information who says they going to listen and if he says he don't want to hear it are you going to refuse to sell while you are running a store?

In my opinion you can't have a social system and freedom at the same time. If you always blame the government for things going wrong and you want that they change it, you also need a lot of rules to make sure costs don't get out of hand. So if you want freedom then life in a country where everyone has to take care for themselves and have some privacy.

 

[Caduceus Mercurius]

A diploma for smartshop owners is a nice start. A diploma for their customers would be even better. A trip diploma. This was one of the ideas I had in mind for my ditiseentrip.nl website. To set up the site in such a way that when a person has worked his or her way through the different levels of the site, they eventually pass for an exam that will certify that they know the basic do's and dont's of tripping, some basic pharmacology and alchemy, and can thus responsibly and safely embark on a journey, or guide others through such an experience.

 

[buffachino]

Maybe headshops should just sell spores, that way one must learn how to grow mushrooms along with the general details of their nature.
This may prevent difficulty from people who just come to the dam and expect to trip straight away.

Or just not sell them at all, simply decriminalise them.

 

[skrudge]

A diploma for smartshop owners is a nice start. A diploma for their customers would be even better. A trip diploma. This was one of the ideas I had in mind for my ditiseentrip.nl website. To set up the site in such a way that when a person has worked his or her way through the different levels of the site, they eventually pass for an exam that will certify that they know the basic do's and dont's of tripping, some basic pharmacology and alchemy, and can thus responsibly and safely embark on a journey, or guide others through such an experience.

CM, you had almost the same idea as me! I thought it'd be good to give buyers a test and only if they'd get it 100% right they'd be able to buy the substance they're doing the test for. Your idea, which is somewhat broader on the user's knowledge might even be better.
The impulsive buyers drop out right away because they just want to get wasted and don't want to break their heads over some test.

Getting a diploma even makes sure the interested people have to study some literature and think about it in more than their own perspective.

Plus, I really think growkits shouldn't be illiegalised at all. People have to invest time in it (and probably some knowledge), so that won't target the impulsive users at.