Suchergebnisse

Today's Dutch drug policy has acquired the reputation of standing outside the international mainstream of drug control. One of the most eye-catching aspects of the revision of the Dutch Opium Act in 1976 has been the de facto decriminalization of cannabis in small amounts. Nowadays the use of and small-scale dealing in cannabis has become normalized. This process of normalization is widely seen as a "model" for a revision of European drug policies. However, in this article the conclusion is reached that this process should not be considered as a "model." When we examine the arguments, points of contention, and policy alternatives discussed within the Dutch ministries between 1968 and 1976, it becomes clear that the de facto decriminalization of soft drugs was more the result of the absence of policy, and of a belated adaptation to already existing circumstances, than of any rational, well-considered action.

During the second half of the 1990s, the use of hallucinogenic mushrooms and other 'natural' products have gained popularity in the Netherlands and elsewhere. This demand was met with a quick response from commercial markets. One component of this trend was the opening of smart shops – venues selling legal and predominantly 'natural' products. In this article the demand and supply side as well as the applicable law and regulatory strategies concerning this new trend are explored. The issues discussed include the following: what are smart shops and what products do they offer; and what are the health and social risks involved in the use of these products? Following this, current Dutch policy strategy with regard to this new trend is described. The current approach is based on the interface between drug policy, public health, consumer protection and pharmaceutical policy. This approach is based on the outcome of a health and social risks assessment by the Working Party on Smart Shops (1998) which concluded that these shops and their products do not currently pose major health or social risks. Nevertheless, the emergence of this new trend was thought to require the development of a policy that is based on reliable information, innovative prevention attempts and close monitoring. Whether this tolerant policy will continue much longer is now at issue, however, for a proposed scheduling of hallucinogenic mushrooms on the Opium Act in the near future could, if implemented, bring about significant change.

The Netherlands' policy on drugs is the plaything of reformers and prohibitionists in the ideological debate about drugs. The Dutch approach is either presented as a seductive and successful alternative to the American policy of zero tolerance or as an out-and-out disaster. In this article, we outline the principles and objectives on which the Netherlands' policy is based and then describe how they are implemented in practice. We conclude that the principles and objectives of Dutch drug policy are diametrically opposed to the ideologically and politically colored debate.