Soft Drug Tolerance: Analysing The Impact Of A Change To The Soft Drug Policy Within The Netherlands

The tolerance of soft drugs within the Netherlands is one of the defining characteristics of the Dutch legal system. The reputation of the country is strongly linked to its policy towards soft drugs. Due to this, many foreigners choose to visit the Netherlands purely because of its tolerance towards the selling and consuming of soft drugs; it is one of the only counties in the European Union which allows for the sale of marijuana in registered premises, such as ‘Coffee Shops’. In recent years, politicians from the Dutch Christian democratic party have campaigned for a zero-tolerance policy in relation to soft drugs within the Netherlands, arguing that it promotes drug tourism within the borders of Europe. There should be no change regarding the tolerance of soft drugs within the Netherlands because people should have the right to purchase and consume soft drugs in safe premises if they so wish, and even if a zero-tolerance policy was utilized, it would not remove the soft drug problem.

Citizens are permitted to drink, smoke and consume medically supplied narcotics, and should also have the right to consume soft drugs within safe premises if they choose to do so. At the present time, soft drugs can be purchased and consumed in ‘Coffee Shops’, however the selling of soft drugs, such as marijuana is not permitted without a license; one can have soft drugs on their person if they are for personal use, but the sale of narcotics to other individuals is prohibited. The Dutch government currently allow citizens to purchase soft drugs through ‘Coffee Shops’, showing that the current soft drug policy is acceptable and does not put the general population at risk. Regulations are enforced by the Dutch government and the purchasing and consuming of soft drugs is not an issue which is taken lightly, however the Dutch have a very pragmatic way of thinking, and do not wish to create more problems by eradicating their tolerance policy towards soft drugs.

Preventing citizens from purchasing soft drugs through ‘Coffee Shops’ would force soft drug users to purchase narcotics through illegal means, such as criminal activities or through the black market. In return, this would lead to a more dangerous situation for citizens and increase the percentage of criminal activity within the Netherlands. Allowing narcotics users to consume soft drugs within certain premises acts as a safety net for the general population, as the narcotics users do not have the need to carry drugs onto the street, nor do they have to conclude deals in open public spaces with the risk of arrest. Concluding deals with random drug dealers would lead to an increase of narcotics users carrying weapons for protection because they have no protection from being attacked or conned; consumers of narcotics would also be made to act in a more paranoid fashion, unsure if the dealer is reputable and even running the risk of the dealer being an undercover police office acting to entrap narcotics users in the local community.

As we have observed in other countries, especially those within the European Union, making the purchasing and consuming of soft drugs illegal is not an effective way to solve the soft drug ‘problem’; it instead promotes narcotics users to find illegal means of purchasing soft drugs. Measures are taken by the Dutch government to regulate the selling of soft drugs within the Netherlands, and as long as these measures are enforced, there is no reason why the Dutch soft drug tolerance policy should be amended or abolished.

Posted in: Debates