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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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UK: Go Dutch in Dorset
Mark Mace The Guardian
Thursday 25 Apr 2002 An Amsterdam-style cafe where people openly smoke cannabis has opened in, of all places, Bournemouth. Mark Mace went to check it out You wouldn't expect a Bournemouth policeman to give you directions to Britain's second cannabis cafe but, if you ask politely, they will point you towards the industrial estate on Boscombe station approach, where you will find the Dutch Experience 2. Bournemouth is traditionally known for its pleasant climate, affordable bungalows and sandy beaches, and was once considered a haven for pensioners. But the Dorset town has recently undergone a change of pace and, with its vibrant club scene and large student population, is becoming a favourite destination for many of London's weekend revellers, not to mention its pot smokers. The Dutch Experience 2, (DE2), was opened on April Fools' Day - with professional advice from the local council and with little attention from the local police - and it has been busy selling teas, coffees and dope paraphernalia for nigh on a month. What it doesn't do is actually sell dope, instead it exploits the unofficial "relaxing" of laws in relation to cannabis to give people a place where they can go to smoke it. You'll know it when you get there. It has the look of a Wendy house put together by an apathetic kid with little touches of artistic individuality that suggest either genius or madness. It is quaintly cute. Outside, on the small, shaded patio, a man rolls a joint. Inside, the cafe bears a closer resemblance to a roadside greasy spoon than a Costa Coffee. All of the conversion work has been done by volunteers. One wall is devoted to the "Free Colin Davies" campaign. Davies, the owner of the first Dutch Experience cafe in Stockport, is currently residing at her majesty's pleasure in HMP Strangeways after being arrested on the first day of trading. His cafe is still open. The obligatory "No Victim, No Crime" poster is displayed beside another urging "If anyone offers you hard drugs tell a member of staff". The house rules are clear: "No under 18s, no police officers, no alcohol, no recording equipment and no unreasonable behaviour." Bob Windsor, 47, a graphic designer and a veteran of Amsterdam and Maastricht coffee shops is on his third visit to the cafe. "The rules are cool and people stick to them. I was here at closing time one night and they said, 'That's it, we're shut,' and everybody just got up and left. You'd never see that in a pub." James, the volunteer barman, is also keen for the cause. "The people who come in are aged 18 to 80. A lot of them come in wanting to know about hemp, seed lists, medical information and to find out whether we're criminals. We're trying to put a legitimate face on something that is not harmful if taken in a legal way." DE2's owner, Jim Ward, 29, insists that the rules of the shop and his customers' understanding of the profound nature of the experiment will mean that this venture will be a success both locally and nationally. "I've wanted to set up this cafe for 14 years," he explains. "It's a genuine service. In Amsterdam, coffee shops have reduced the crime rate and the number of addicts. We aim to break the link between soft and hard drugs. On the second day that we were open we caught a heroin dealer in the cafe with 60 wraps. We called the police and handed him over. "We are only open until 10pm and we ask our members to respect our neighbours when leaving. We are determined to make this work as a legitimate business. In time I believe there will be more cannabis cafes around the country." The cafe is situated close to a primary school, as well as two drug rehabilitation centres. In the local newsagents the staff express concern about location of DE2. But its opening has not been entirely negative, adds the manager with a grin. "We do sell them a lot of sweets.I don't think we've had any problems from them - more trouble with the football fans." In a nearby hi-fi shop, the owner, Mark Jericovic, admits that he is curious about the cafe: "I might go down for a cup of tea and see what the kerfuffle is about." One of his customers is not so keen. Jacqui Fogg, 32, works for an education centre which educates children about drug misuse. It has visited the primary school near DE2 in the past. "How will it look if they see their mates or maybe even their parents going in there? I think there is a lot of confusion about cannabis. People don't know if it is illegal or not. I don't approve of these shops at all." At present there are plans for a dozen more cafes across the country, including Liverpool, Preston, Rhyl and London. Some commentators believe that the home secretary, David Blunkett, is assessing the two cannabis cafes to find "best practice" ahead of the quasi-decriminalisation of cannabis which is expected later this summer. DE2 has so far avoided being raided by the Dorset police. As DCI Colin Stanger explains: "We target dealers and users of more harmful Class A drugs like heroin and crack cocaine, but clearly we will not tolerate the dealing in and use of cannabis because it is an offence and our duty is to enforce the law." Nevertheless, on top of asking a bobby for directions to DE2, you can even ask: "If I get really stoned and I need a cab?" and he'll point you towards a local taxi rank and bid you a pleasant day.
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