During this presentation, I will inform you of what the current policy is, the proposals for change, the rationale given by experts and advocates on both sides of the issue, and my own perspective based on first-hand experience.
Mijn dochter called last night for some help with her class presentation for school. She needs to make an informative speech and had chosen the evolving drug policies in the Netherlands as her topic. She visited the Netherlands, memorably, a couple of years ago, and peered into the coffeeshops scattered around town.
It’s actually an interesting and changing debate here. The Dutch Ministry of Health, Welfare, and Sport has a good website with the official view, and there are any number of media articles, pro and con, with alternative points to make (The infamous Bill O’Reilly rant, for example, or a recent article in the Taiwan News).
How can I help? Pictures: Can you get some for my slide presentation?
It made for a nice hour, cycling around town and taking discreet photos of the local color. There is a surprising amount of foot traffic in and out for 11 am : all sorts of folks, busy as a Starbucks. My favorites are still the boats down by the river, but the shops each have a character all their own.