Dutch elections: the battle for the stoner vote
In the Netherlands, the political party hoping to repeal laws banning the sale of weed to foreigners is banking on getting smokers out to vote on Wednesday. But will they bother?
Sunday, September 9, 2012
When the Netherlands goes to the polls on Wednesday, the result could hinge on one, previously overlooked section of the electorate: the stoner vote. More than 350 Dutch coffee shops have thrown their weight behind a grassroots campaign in support of the leftwing Socialist Party (SP), which has pledged to end the political crackdown on shops that sell marijuana. The stakes are high: many believe that the parliamentary elections will be make-or-break day for the Dutch coffee shops.