04/07/2007 00:00:00
The Netherlands: Smoking in coffee shops will be allowed
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Health minister Ab Klink announced late last night in parliament that
coffee shops, where cannabis can be sold legally, will not be threatened
by the smoking ban which takes effect on July 1 2008, the Volkskrant
reports on Wednesday.
'If we want to stop our policy of toleration, we should just do so, and
not use the ban as an excuse,' he told MPs. However, despite the urging
of Labour, centre-left D66 and the Green Left party, coffee shops will
not be entirely exempt from the ban.
Klink insists that the counters where cannabis is sold must be smoke
free. But as long as they are divided from the rest of the room, smoking
on the premises will be allowed.
Klink also wants health insurers to include nicotine patches and courses
on how to stop smoking in the basic health care package, according to
the NOS news site. And he is also considering allowing insurers to offer
people with a healthy lifestyle a lower premium.
The minister will present a full package of ideas for preventative
healthcare after the summer recess.
http://www.dutchnews.nl/news/archives/2007/07/smoking_in_coffee_shops_will_b.php
Source:
http://www.ukcia.org/news/shownewsarticle.php?articleid=12665
Author:
Dutch News via UKCIA
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