J-P.C. Grund (Jean-Paul) 1 and J. Breeksema (Joost).

1: CVO - Addiction Research Centre


2013-07-01
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Coffee Shops and Compromise


Publication


Separated Illicit Drug Markets in the Netherlands


Building on a long history and culture of tolerance, the Dutch reacted to illegal drugs with decades of pragmatic steps devoid of judgment. A central element of contemporary Dutch drug policy was a vital decision to develop a legal and useful separation of cannabis- judged to present "appropriate" threats to consumers and society-from hard drugs associated with inappropriate risk. This policy efficiently legalized possession and usage of cannabis and opened the door for endured outlets for small-scale cannabis sales that eventually took the kind of the popular Dutch "coffee shops." By all procedures, the cafe suc- ceeded in making it possible for cannabis consumers to prevent exposure to hard drug scenes and markets. Dutch cannabis consumers have actually likewise been spared the extensive costs of bring a criminal record, and the public has not had to pay of incarceration for small offenses. Drug policy in the Netherlands was identified by a pragmatic bottom up development in which policies developed through experimentation at a local level often started by regional authorities in assessment with agents from civil society who were supported by nationwide policy makers. With regard to heroin and other hard drugs, the Dutch federal government at nationwide and community level put a premium on decrease of private and social harm. This dedicate- ment has been reflected in the government's investment in comprehensive health and social services. Low-threshold methadone and safe usage rooms along with needle exchange programs multiplied earlier and with higher coverage than in the majority of Europe. Even prior to these services were established, nevertheless, tolerance for sale and usage of illicit controlled substances in designated "home addresses" significantly lowered the dangers of an open drug scene, consisting of exposure to uncontrolled criminal aspects. It also added to a choice for drug intake not including injection. The Netherlands was spared the major drug- linked HIV epidemic that ravaged drug users and their households in other European coun- tries. An important component of this success, at times, was not only practical national policy however also the degree of autonomy that community officials had to workout of practices that did not adhere to the letter of the law. None of this was without its difficulties. For example, while the coffeehouse supplied a location for safe and controlled usage of cannabis without exposing consumers to hazardous controlled substance scenes, successive federal governments have not successfully dealt with the so- called back door problem-coffee shops being provided with cannabis by an illegal market. While there were circumstances of popular support for the complete legalization or government guideline of the Cannabis Docs of MD market, which would address this problem, there were always political difficulties to securing such a policy. Though confidently protecting the core of their policy and continuing to focus on decrease of individual and social drug-related damage, suc- cessive Dutch federal governments have actually felt international pressure to not "step over the line" into locations such as legalization and policy of drugs. In addition, attempts to attend to drug tourism by making coffee bar exclusive Dutch-only clubs seem to create more problems than they solve, stimulating opposition from owners, clients, civil society, legal specialists and city mayors alike. Nevertheless, some municipalities continue to experience drug tourist while taking pleasure in the substantial revenue produced by coffee bar. This report is an extensive analysis of the politics and the functionalities that made it possible for or led the Dutch authorities at national and local levels to make the drug policy decisions that have actually formed the lives of people who use or are otherwise impacted by drugs in the Neth- erlands. It is the authors' hope that it will serve to those outside the Netherlands, in federal government and civil society, who seek drug policy services that are considerate of human rights and based strongly in science and great public health practice. If there is one lesson to take away from the Dutch experience, it is that when taking actions towards regulating cannabis or other psychoactive substances meant for human usage, these must consist of the whole chain of supply, from production to usage.