It is high time that coffee shops jointly made a clear statement about the question: What do we, Cannabis Connect, think of the experiment?
The voice of coffee shop entrepreneurs in the Netherlands is heard more than in the past. Hearing that voice does not mean that politicians, administrators and policymakers meet all the wishes of individual coffee shop entrepreneurs. Unfortunately, it doesn't work that way. That would also be unreal. Going along with the wishes of coffee shops works best if coffee shops speak with one mouth as much as possible and have roughly the same wishes. With a cacophony of coffee shop noise, a policymaker only gets out what suits him.
It's not easy. You cannot expect coffee shops to all think the same about specific parts of the policy. So many shops, so many opinions. Nevertheless, in order to be heard and understood, as much agreement as possible will have to be found on as many matters as possible.
Construction
How do you best form a joint opinion with a few hundred coffee shop entrepreneurs? First of all, it is important that everyone knows what it is really about. Too often people in the sector speak out based on a feeling or a first impression, without first delving deeply into the documents. Criticizing is a good thing, it shows an active attitude. But that criticism must be based on substantive facts. Furthermore, it is more constructive to help think about an improvement of a proposal, for example around the experiment, than simply to tarnish it. Whether you as an individual entrepreneur completely agree with it or not, when the proposals for the experiment are drawn up, the coffee shops and what, for example, Cannabis Connect had to say. The experiment now assumes the coffee shop as a point of sale, and not a vending machine. Furthermore, the THC has not been tampered with, the offer has been varied and the stock maximization has essentially been dropped.
That does not mean that we are already there. There are still some solid issues that the coffee shops are not happy with. Because those things are too important to be taken for granted, the battle of Cannabis Connect continues. The support of the coffee shops is needed. Important steps have been taken, but the war has not yet been won.
Support consultations
The coffee shop sector does not think the same about all the topics that come along. Yet it is important that we continue to realize that we as individuals do not achieve anything in what is about to happen to the sector. We are only strong if we work together. If an entrepreneur wants to make his voice heard, he / she can do that best in a larger context, with a constructive approach. So do not focus on what is wrong, but imagine how things can be improved. Well founded, supported by facts. Cannabis Connect entrepreneur days are there to hear individuals and also to forge commonality. This unity can only be forged if individuals keep themselves well informed about what is going on by reading the proposals produced by the government and the unions themselves. Joint breeding also means that an individual must occasionally add water to the wine.
To come out
You radiate togetherness, among other things, by speaking out with one voice as much as possible. Media are eagerly looking for voices of coffee shop entrepreneurs that make strong sounds. These media do not do this because they have such good intentions for the coffee shops, but because 'strong statements' simply score well in the newspaper. Journalists are very good at eliciting statements. That may give you a good feeling, but it is not always useful for the entire sector, or for the individual coffee shop that makes those statements. Also, a statement by one coffee shop entrepreneur in articles or news items on TV is often presented as the opinion of the entire sector. We just have to be very careful how we come out right now. It is very easy to paint a very negative image of the coffee shops. It is therefore strategically best to respond centrally to media requests. Via speaking tubes that have an overview and all background information. And preferably after consultation with the supporters. The more we speak with one mouth, the stronger we are. Cannabis Connect is currently being taken seriously by the government and the media. This month, as a joint sector, we must let you know what we think of the experimental proposals as they are now.
Collectively achieved a lot
In two years, Cannabis Connect has grown into a mouthpiece for a large number of coffee shops. In May 2016, 232 coffee shops put a signature under a joint letter to the VNG (Association of Dutch Municipalities). The letter calls on municipalities to see coffee shops as part of the solution to problems at the back door. Never before had so many coffee shops joined together behind a letter. This tasted like more.
The first entrepreneurial day of Cannabis Connect took place at the start of 2017. Coffee shop entrepreneurs are difficult to unite, but the feeling grew that you achieved more together than on your own. That feeling of being strong together came about partly because it became increasingly clear that the continued existence of the coffee shop has become less self-evident than in the past. Nationally, more and more open thinking is being given to alternatives to coffee shops.
Due to the intensive cooperation of the coffee shops and the active cooperative attitude of several spokespersons for Cannabis Connect, among others, in 2017 and 2018, CC sat at the table with the Knottnerus Commission this spring, and a few months later with policymakers at the ministry. Few interest groups can say that.
Three laps
On December 12 there is again a business day for Cannabis Connect. On that day we must try to formulate as common a sound as possible in response to the proposals for the experiment as they are now. To take away the feeling that the Cannabis Connect Steering Group is imposing something on coffee shops, this time the entrepreneurs' day will use a structure whereby entrepreneurs themselves determine in groups what they think of the subjects:
- Phased introduction
- Packaging of the weed supplied
- What do we do with the hash?
- Participation on a voluntary basis
- Municipal customization (no obligation for municipalities to maintain the criterion)
- Subjects still to be submitted
You can participate in the decision-making and decision-making process if you are a member of the PCN, BCD and / or Epicurus. Each working group is given time on 12 December to take a joint position on one of these points.
In a second round, all positions will then be presented by the working groups and those positions will be discussed. We will then work together to find the answer to the question how Cannabis Connect expresses itself on the Weed Experiment.
The answer
The answer to this question must be manageable and concrete. So not 'we will find out in the near future', but:
- No! We do not like regulation / the experiment.
- No, we do not want Experiment (law), but the Bergkamp Law (full national regulation).
- No, we will not participate, unless….
- Yes we participate, provided ...
- Yes! We participate.
In this way all entrepreneurs can make their voices heard and jointly formulate an answer to the question what Cannabis Connect thinks of the experiment.
Read the full article coffeeshopbond.nl (Source)
