The Netherlands: A Return to Law Enforcement Solutions

For many years, the Dutch have led the way in establishing permissive policies to address issues of drug use. The infamous "coffeeshops" that sell marijuana emerged throughout the Netherlands as a symbol of Dutch drug policy and led to a booming drug tourism market in areas such as Amsterdam. The focus on the health aspect of addiction resulted in a flurry of harm reduction measures introduced throughout the Netherlands. The growing ecstasy problem in Europe and the Netherlands' pivotal role in ecstasy production has led the Dutch government to look once again to law enforcement solutions.

Based upon the concept of the separation of markets, "coffeeshops" began to emerge throughout the Netherlands in 1976, offering cannabis products for sale. While possession and sale of cannabis are not legal, coffeeshops are permitted to exist under certain restrictions. Restrictions for coffeeshops include: a limit of no more than 5 grams sold to a person at any one time, no alcohol or hard drugs, no minors, no advertising, and the shop must not cause a nuisance.

Coffeeshops have thrived throughout the Netherlands, but in recent years, there has been a decline in the number of shops. Falling under the jurisdiction of local authorities, many coffeeshops have been forced to close. According to the 2001 International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, in 2000 81% of the municipalities in the Netherlands did not tolerate coffeeshops.